Poisoned Love
by 9PoisonIvy9
Summary: What if, when Jake took Bella to meet Sam and the others, Paul imprinted on her. Can Paul fix Bella or will she be the broken girl forever? And will their love survive the newborns and Victoria?
1. Preface

**Title: Poisoned Love**

**Summary: What if, when Jake took Bella to meet Sam and the others, Paul imprinted on her. Can Paul fix Bella or will she be the broken girl forever? And will their love survive the newborns and Vitoria?**

Still in the dark forest, quiet the deep,

Softly the clock ticks, baby must sleep,

The pole star is shinning, bright the treat Bear,

Orion is watching, high up in the air.

Reindeer are coming to drive you away,

Over the snow on an ebony sleigh,

Over the mountain and over the sea,

You shall go happy and handsome and free.

Over the green grass pastors there,

You shall go hunting the beautiful deer,

You shall pick flowers, the white and the blue,

Shepherds shall flute their sweetest for you.

And in the castle tower above,

The Princess' checks burn red for your love,

You shall be King and Queen of the land,

Happy forever, hand in hand


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I cowered into Jacob's side, my eyes scanning the forest for the other werewolves. When they appeared, striding out from between the trees, they weren't what I was expecting. I'd gotten the image of the wolves stuck in my head. These were just four really big half-naked boys.

Again, they reminded me of brothers, quadruplets. Something about the way they moved almost in synchronization to stand across the road from us, the way all had the same long, round muscles under the same red-brown skin, the same cropped black hair, and the way their expressions altered at exactly the same moment.

They started out, curious and cautious. When they saw me there, half-hidden beside Jacob, they all became furious in the same second.

Sam was still the biggest, though Jacob was getting close to catching up with him. Sam didn't really count as a boy, though. His face was older- not in the sense of lines or signs of aging, but in the maturity, the patience of his expression.

"What have you done, Jacob?" he demanded.

One of the others, one I didn't recognized- Jared or Paul- thrust past Sam and spoke before Jacob could defend himself.

"Why can't you just follow the rules, Jacob?" he yelled, throwing his arms in the air. "What the hell are you thinking? Is she more important than everything- than the whole tribe? Than the people getting killed?"

"She can help" Jacob said quietly.

"Help!" the angry boy shouted. His arms began to quiver. "Oh, that's likely! I'm sure the leech-lover it just dying to help us out!"

"Don't talk about her like that" Jacob shouted back, stung by the boy's criticism. Me, though, I didn't care.

A shudder rippled through the other boy, along his shoulders and down his spine.

"Paul! Relax!" Sam commanded.

Paul shook his head back and forth, not in defiance, but as though he was trying to concentrate.

"Jeez, Paul" one of the other boys- probably Jared- muttered. "Get a grip."

Paul twisted his head towards Jared, his lips curling back in irritation. Then he shifted his glare in my direction, looking me straight in the eye.

And then something strange happened. His face softened, replaced by an oddly dazed expression, and his mouth opened slightly in shock.

"Oh, boy" someone whispered. "Paul's in trouble."

I didn't know who said this, nor did I care. All I could concentrate on was the god standing mere meters away from me. I seemed to get lose in his gorgeous chocolate brown eyes- almost exactly the same as mine only a lot more beautiful- and a strange sensation came over me. It was like a part of my heart broke off, only to be replaced by a feeling much stronger. A pull towards Paul.

Paul seemed to take an involuntary step forwards, completely harmless now, but Jacob took a protective step in front of me. I guess it may have looked like my Paul was going to attack me. What, what the hell?

That triggered something inside Paul, and he was even more furious than before.

He seemed to fall forward, vibrating violently. Halfway to the ground, there was a loud ripping noise and the boy exploded.

Dark silver blew out from the boy, coalescing into a shape more than five-times his size, a massive, crouched shape, ready to spring.

The wolf's muzzle wrinkled back over his teeth, and another growl rolled through his colossal chest. His dark, enraged eyes focused on Jacob. I couldn't get over how beautiful- the word didn't even cover it- the wolf actually was.

In the same second, Jacob was running across the road straight for my wolf. And again, what's with the 'my'?

"Jacob?" I screamed in fright, though every fibber in my body was yelling at me that I should be screaming Paul's name.

Mid-stride, a long shiver ran down Jacob's spine. He leaped forwards, diving headfirst into empty air and turning into a russet brown wolf.

Thankfully, the fight between the two wolves didn't last very long, though it felt like hours, and Jacob managed to push Paul into the forest but by the time they had vanished along with Sam, my heart was in my throat.

Jared looked at me carefully, assessing.

"Hey, you're not going to faint or anything?" he demanded.

"No" I answered truthfully. Fainting wasn't at the top of my list right now. I was just feeling very, very confused.

"Let's go see Emily. You know she'll have food waiting." Embry looked down at me. "Mind giving us a ride?"

"No problem" I replied in a slightly dazed voice. I shook my head to try and get some sense back into me.

Jared raised one eyebrow. "Maybe you'd better drive, Embry. She looks like she might faint."

"Good idea. Where are the keys?" Embry asked me.

"Ignition."

Finally as they drove along, I saw at the end of the lane was a tiny house that had once been gray. There was only one narrow window beside the weathered blue door, but the window box under it was filled with bright orange and yellow marigolds, giving the whole place a cheerful look.

Embry opened the truck door and inhaled. "Mmmm, Emily's cooking."

They climbed up the one step and entered the house without knocking. I followed timidly after them.

The front room, like Billy's house, was mostly kitchen. A young woman with satiny copper skin and long, straight, black hair was standing the counter by the sink, popping big muffins out of a tin and placing them on a paper plate. For one second, I though the reason had told me on the way here not to stare was because the girl was so beautiful.

And then she asked "You guys hungry?" in a melodic voice, and she turned to face us full on, only a smile on half of her beautiful face.

The right side of her face was scared from hairline to chin by three thick red lines, livid in colour though they were probably long healed. One line pulled down the corner of her dark, almond-shaped right eye; another twisted the right side of her mouth into a permanent grimace.

Thankful for Embry's warning, I quickly turned my eyes to the muffins in her hands. They smelled wonderful- like fresh blueberries.

"Oh" said Emily, surprised. "Who's this?"

I looked up, trying to focus on the left half of her face.

"Bella Swan" Jared said, shrugging. Apparently I had been a topic of conversation before. "Who else?"

"Leave it to Jacob to find a way around" Emily muttered. She stared at me and neither half of her once beautiful face was friendly. "So, you're the vampire girl."

I winced and stiffened. "Not anymore, am I? And I gather you're the wolf girl?"

She laughed, as did Embry and Jared. The left side of her face warmed. "I guess I am." She turned to Jared. "Where's Sam?"

"I guess you could say Bella and Jacob, err, surprised Paul this morning."

Emily rolled her good eye. "Ah, Paul" she sighed. "Do you think they'll be long? I was just about to start the eggs."

"Don't worry" Embry told her. "If they're late, we won't let anything go to waste."

Emily chuckled and then opened the refrigerator. "No doubt" she agreed. "Bella, are you hungry? Go ahead and help yourself to a muffin."

"Thank you." I took one from the plate and started nibbling around the edges. It was delicious. Embry picked up his third one and all but shoved it into his mouth whole.

"Save some for your brothers" Emily chastised him, hitting him on the head with a wooden spoon. The word surprised me a little, but the others thought nothing of it. I guess it made sense, seen as they looked like a family, and I felt it too. There was a special connection between the _brothers _and Emily.

The door opened, and San stepped through.

"Emily" he said, and so much love satiated his voice that I felt embarrassed, intrusive, as I watched him cross the room in one stride and take her face in his wide hands. He leaned down and kissed the dark scares on her right cheek before he kissed her lips.

"Hey, none of that" Jared complained. "I'm eating!"

"Then shut up and eat" Sam suggested, kissing Emily's ruined mouth again.

"Urgh" Embry groaned.

This was worse than any romantic movie; this was so real that it sang out loud with joy and life and true love. I put my muffin down and folded my arms across my empty chest. I stared at the flowers, trying to ignore the utter peace of their moment, and the wretched throbbing of my wounds.

I was grateful for the distraction when Jake and Paul, and then shocked when I saw that they were laughing. While I watched, Paul punched Jacob on the shoulder and Jacob went for a kidney jab in return. They laughed again. They both appeared to be in one piece.

Paul's eyes met mine and held them for maybe a little too long before he was bombarded by Jared and Embry, leaving me to ponder my butterflies.

Jacob scanned the room, his eyes stopping when he found me leaning, awkward and out of place, against the counter in the far corner of the kitchen.

"Hey Bells" he greeted me cheerfully, though he was also looking at me a little sympathetically. What was it with everyone? First Sam, then Emily, and now Jacob. What the hell was going on? "How are you holding up?"

"Don't worry about me. Just very confused. Good muffins." I picked mine back up and started nibbling again. My chest felt better as soon as I saw that Paul was okay, though I still had no idea why. I wish someone would explain it to me.

"You'll understand soon enough" Jacob reassured me in a whisper but I was pretty sure that everyone apart from Emily heard it anyway.

I opened my mouth, but before I could ask him what the hell he meant, I was interrupted by Jared wailing "Oh, man!"

I looked up, and he and Embry were no examining a fading pink line on Paul's forearm. Embry was grinning, exultant.

"Fifteen dollars" he crowed.

"Did you do that?" I whispered to Jacob, remembering the bet Jared and Embry had made during their trip to Emily and Sam's house.

"I barely touched him/ He will be perfect by sundown." I wasn't sure whether or not I should be angry at Jacob for hurting Paul.

"By sundown?" I looked at the line on Paul's arm, trying to ignore how much I though his muscles made him look even more freaking hotter- if that was even possible. Odd, but i looked weeks old.

"Wolf thing" Jacob muttered.

"Oh" was all that came out of my brilliant mouth, and then I added "You okay?"

"Not a scratch on me." His expression was kinda smug.

"Hey, guys" Sam said in a loud voice, interrupting all the conversations going on in the small room. Emily was at the stove, scraping the egg mixture around a big skillet, but Sam had one hand on the small of her back, an unconscious gesture. I couldn't help but smile as the gesture. "Jacob has information for us."

Paul looked unsurprised, though he tensed a little. Jacob must have explained this to him and Sam. Or... they had just heard it in his thoughts.

"I know what the red head wants." Jacob directed his words mainly towards Jared and Embry. "That's what I was trying to tell you before." He kicked the leg of the chair Paul had settled into. I noticed that there were loads empty, but Paul had just sat in the one closest to me but farthest away from where he was standing before. Weird.

"And?" Jared asked.

Jacob's face got serious. "She _is_ trying to avenge her mate- only it wasn't the black-haired leech we killed. The Cullens got her mate last year, and she's after Bella now."

This wasn't news to me, but I still shivered.

Jared, Embry and Emily stared at me with open-mouthed surprised/

"She's just a girl!" Embry protested. I couldn't help myself; I rolled my eyes. It was just too tempting.

"Correction" I said. "I'm just a _human _girl."

"I didn't say it made sense" Jacob sighed, ignoring my correction. "But that's why the bloodsucker's been trying to get past us. She's been heading for Forks."

They continued to stare at me, mouths still hanging open, for a long moment like I had just grown another head. I ducked my head."Excellent" Jared finally said, a smile beginning to pull up the corners of his mouth. "We've got bait."

With stunning speed, Paul yanked a can opener from the counter and lunched it at Jared's head. Why was Paul defending me? Jared's hand flicked up faster than I would have thought possible, and he snagged the tool just before it hit his face.

"Bella is not bait" Paul growled, glowering at Jared. Blimey...if looks could kill. I hadn't thought that in a while either.

"Calm down, man, you know what I mean" Jared chuckled, unabashed.

"So we will be changing our patterns" Sam said, ignoring their squabble. "We'll try leaving a few holes, and see if she falls for it. We'll have to split up, and I don't like that. But if she's really after Bella, she probably won't try to take advantage of our divided numbers."

I winced involuntarily. They were risking everything for me. Why hadn't I kept my stupid strap shut? Oh yeah, because I'm an idiot.

"Quill's got to be close to joining us, soon" Embry murmured. "Then we'll be able to split up evenly."

Everyone looked down. No matter how comfortable they seemed to be with their fate, here in the happy kitchen, none of these werewolves wanted the same fate for their friend.

"Well, we won't count on that" Sam said in a low voice and then continued at his regular volume. "Jacob, Jared and Embry will take the outer perimeter, and Paul and I will take the inner. We'll collapse in when we've got her trapped."

I noticed that Emily didn't particularly like that San would be in the smaller grouping. Her worry was catchy and I found myself glancing at Paul, worrying, too.

Sam caught my eye. "We think it would be best if you spent as much time as possible here in La Push. She won't know where to find you so easily, just in case."

"What about Charlie?" I demanded.

"March Madness is still going" Jacob said. "I think Billy and Harry can manage to keep Charlie down here when he is not at work."

"Wait" Sam said, holding one hand up. His glance flickered to Emily, then to Paul, and then back to me. I understood the first flicker, but not the second. Maybe it had something to do with his anger problem thing. "That's what we think is best, but you need to decide for yourself. You should weigh the risks of both options very seriously. You saw this morning how easily things can get out of hand. If you choose to stay with us, I can't make any guarantees about your safety.

"I won't hurt her" Paul mumbled, looking down, but still, worry seeped through his voice and I wondered why.

Sam acted as if he hadn't heard him speak. "If there was somewhere else you felt sage..."

I bit my lip. "I've handled vampires so I'm pretty sure I can handle some teenage wolves."

Sam just stared.

I sighed and just managed to check out "I don't want to lead her anywhere out.

Sam nodded, but somehow his silence got made me worry.

"You'll be careful, right?" I asked Jacob- well, Paul, but I wasn't going to tell anyone that- with an audible limp in my throat.

The boys burst into loud hoots of amusement. Everyone laughed at me- except Emily. She met my eyes, and I could suddenly see how motherly she was towards these boys. Her face was still beautiful, and alive with concern even more fierce than mine. I had to look away, before the love behind the concern could start me aching again.

"Foods ready" she announced then, and the strategic conversation was history. The guys hurried to surround the table and devoured the buffet-sized pan of eggs Emily had placed in their mists. They were like piranhas that had got the whiff of meat. Emily ate leaning against the counter like me- avoiding the bedlam at the table- and watched with affectionate eyes. Her expression clearly stated that this was her family.

All in all, it wasn't exactly what I had been expecting from a pack of werewolves.

**Please review. I was wondering if anyone could suggest any conversations Bella and Paul could have before Paul admitted his 'undying love' for Bella, and love poems or songs. Thank you.**

**I don't own Twilight though I would love to**

**~Poison Ivey**


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Already I was falling into the pattern of things in La Push. I spent almost every day with Emily at her house, while Charlie hung out with Billy at the Black's house.

I and Emily were already becoming really close. We would spend hours on end just talking to each other, or just laps into a comfortable silence whenever we didn't have anything to sat while the boys were out, we were always making enough food to feed an army (though I guess they were probably equivalent to an army).

Emily was a cheerful person who never sat still. I drifted behind her while she flittered around her little house and yard, scrubbing at the spotless floor, pulling a tiny weed, fixing a broken hinge, tugging a string of wool through an ancient loom, and always cooking with me, too. She complained lightly about the increase in the boys' appetites from all their extra running, but it was easy to see she didn't mind taking care of them. It wasn't hard to be with her at all.

Jacob had invited me to the bonfire tonight and that he would pick me up at 7 o'clock. So here I was at 6:30, standing in front of my full length mirror and wondering what the hell I was going to wear. I sighed and rummaged around in my wardrobe before pulling out black, skinny jeans and a midnight blue, long-sleeved top that showed a bit of cleverage and clung to the her curves complete with some silver pumps and some mascara plus some lip gloss. I had let my hair fall in waves with a brown clip to keep one side of it out of my face that was a shade or two lighter than my hair.

Just mere seconds after I had finished, I heard a knock at the door and I raced down the stairs. I yanked open the door to reveal Jacob standing there, looking as cheerful as ever.

"Eager to see me" he teased.

"Of course" I said, but it came out more of a question. Actually, I felt that, deep down, it was really Paul I was so excited to see.

Jacob gave me a knowing look before chuckling and all but dragged me to his Rabbit.

I had to admit I'd had my doubts about the bonfire; doubts on whether or not they were going to except me there. After all, I was a former 'vampire girl', as Embry put it.

Jacob towed me out of the forest to the cliff top meeting place- where the fire was already roaring brighter than the cloud-obscured sun- it was all very casual and light.

"Hey, vampire girl!" Embry greeted me loudly.

"You're forgetting, Embry" I called back to him over the roar of the fire "that I am no longer a vampire girl."

Embry laughed loudly at that, but seemed very pleased that I had joined the wolves' side. And he wasn't the only one. I could have sworn I heard murmurs of approval race around the small circle.

Emily squeezed my hand reassuringly when I and Jacob sat on the cool stone ground beside her and Sam.

Other than a few teasing complaints- mostly by Paul (I had a feeling there was something behind this teasing)- about keeping the bloodsucking stench downwind- though in theory I hadn't been near a vampire for ages, I was treated like someone who belonged among them.

It wasn't just kids in attendance, either. Billy Black was here, in his wheelchair stationed at what seemed like the natural head of the circle. Beside him on a folding lawn chair, looking quite brittle, was Quill's ancient, white-haired grandfather (Quill still hadn't shifted yet, though). Sue Clearwater and her husband, Harry Clearwater, had chairs only Billy's other side.

I looked out across the sea and sighed. What I wouldn't give to have what Emily and Sam had; undying love. I wanted someone to hold me like Sam did, look at me like Sam did, and love me like Sam did. But I knew that no one could ever love me that way. They all left me in the end.

I noticed that Emily was nodding off now against Sam's chest, his arms around her. I imagined she would be very warm there.

"It's getting late" I murmured to Jacob, suppressing a sigh.

"Don't start that yet" Jacob whispered back- though certainly half the group here had hearing sensitive enough to hear us anyway. "The best part is coming."

"What's the best part? You guys swallowing an entire cow each whole?"

May gaze flickered towards Paul just for a second and saw him smirking.

Jacob chuckled his low, throaty laugh. "No. That's the finale. We didn't meet here just to eat through a week's worth of food. This is technically a council meeting. It's Embry's first time, and he hasn't heard the stories yet. Well, he's heard them, but this will be the first time he knows they're true. That tends to make a guy pay closer attention."

"Stories?"

Jacob scooted back beside me, where I rested against a low ridge of rock. He put his arm over my shoulder and spoke even lower into my ear. I could have sworn I heard a low growl but couldn't identify where abouts it came from.

"The histories we always thought were legends" he said. "The stories of how we came to be. The first is the story of the spirit warriors."

It was almost as if Jacob's soft whisper was the introduction. The atmosphere changed abruptly around the low-burning fire Paul and Embry sat up straighter. Sam nudged Emily and then pulled her gently uptight. She produced a spiral-bound notebook and a pen, looking exactly like a student set for an important lecture. Sam twisted just slightly beside her- so that he was facing the same direction as Old Quill, who was on his other side- and I suddenly realized that the elders of the council here were not three, but four in number.

The fire crackled, sending another explosion of sparks glittering up against the night.

Billy cleared his throat, and, with no more introduction than his son's whisper, began telling the story in his rich, deep voice. The words poured out with precision, as if he knew hem by heart, but also with feeling and a subtle rhythm. Like poetry performed by its author.

It was amazing to hear the stories of the pack, how they formed, and why they really protected the people of La Push and further beyond.

But the one I was most interested in was the story the third wife's sacrifice.

"Many years after Taha Aki gave up his spirit wolf, when he was an old man, trouble began in the north, with te Makahs. Several young woman of their tribe had disappeared, and they blamed it on the neighbouring wolves, which they feared and mistrusted. The wolf-men could still read each other's thoughts while in their wolf forms, just like their ancestors had while in their spirit forms. They knew that none of their number was to blame. Taha Aki tried to pacify the Makah chief, but there was too much fear. Taha Aki did not want to have a war on his hands. He was no longer a warrior to lead his people. He charged his oldest wolf-son, Taha Wi, with finding the true culprit before hostilities began.

"Taha Wi led the five other wolves in his pack on a search through the mountains, looking for any evidence of the missing Makah. They came across something they had never encountered before- a strange, sweet scent in the forest that burned their noses to the point of pain."

I shrank a little closer to Jacob's side. I saw Paul's eyes burn with something but it was gone before I could even begin to try and identify what it was.

"They did not know what creature would leave such a scent, but they followed it.

"They found faint traces of human scent, and human blood, along the trail. They were sure this was the enemy they were searching for.

"The journey took them so far north Taha Wi sent half of the pack, the younger ones, back to the harbor to report to Taha Aki.

"Taha Wi and his two brothers did not return.

"The younger brothers searched for their elders, but found only silence. Taha Aki mourned for his sons. He wished to avenge his sons' death, but he was old. He went to the Makah Chief in his mourning clothes and told him everything that had happened. The Makah chief believed his grief, and tensions ended between the tribes.

"A year later, two Makah maidens disappeared from their homes on the same night. The Makahs called on the Quileute wolves at once, who found the same sweet stink all through the Makah village. The wolves went on the hunt again.

"Only one came back. He was Yaha Uta, the oldest son of Taka Aki's third wife, and the youngest in the pack. He brought something with him that had never been seen in all the days of the Quileutes- a strange, cold, stony corpse that he carried in pieces. All who were of Taha Aki's blood, even those who had never been wolves, could smell the piercing smell of the dead creature. This was the enemy of the Makahs.

"Yaha Uta described what had happened: he and his brothers had found the creature, which looked like a man but was hard as a granite rock, with the two Makah daughters. One girl was already dead, white and bloodless on the ground. The other was in the creature's arms, his mouth at her throat. She may have been alive when they came upon the hideous scene, but the creature quickly snapped her neck and tossed her lifeless body to the ground when they approached. His white lips were covered in her blood, and his eyes glowed red.

"Yaha Uta described the fierce strength and speed of the creature. One of his brothers quickly became a victim when he underestimated that strength. The creature ripped him apart like a doll. Yaha Uta and his other brother were more wary. They worked together, coming at the creature from sides, outmanoeuvring it. They had to reach the very limits of their wolf strength and speed, something that had never been tested before. The creature was hard as stone and cold as ice. They found that only their teeth could damage it. They began to rip small pieces of the creature apart while it fought them.

"But the creature learned quickly, and soon was matching their manoeuvres. It got its hands on Yaha Uta's brother. Yaha Uta found an opening on the creature's throat, and he lunged. His teeth tore the head off the creature, but the hands continued to mangle his brother.

"Yaha Uta ripped the creature into unrecognizable chunks, tearing pieces apart in a desperate attempt to save his brother. He was too late, but, in the end, the creature was destroyed.

"Or so they thought. Yaha Uta laid the reeking remains out to be examined by the elders. One severed hand lay beside a piece of the creature's granite arm. The two pieces touched when the elders poked them with sticks, and the hand reached out towards the arm piece, trying to reassemble itself.

"Horrified, the elders set fire to the remains. A great cloud of chocking, vile smoke polluted the air. When there was nothing but ashes, they separated the ashes into many small bags and spread them far and wide- some in the ocean, some in the forest, and some in the cliff caverns. Taha wore one bag around his neck, so he would be warns if the creature ever tried to put himself together again."

Billy pulled out a leather thong from around his neck. Hanging from the end was a small bag, blackened with age. A few people gasped. I might have been one of them.

"They called it The Cold One, the Blood Drinker, and lived in fear that it was not alone. They only had one wolf protector left, young Yaha Uta.

"They did not have long to wait. The creature had a mate, another blood drinker, who came to the Quileutes seeking revenge.

"The stories say that the Cold Woman was the most beautiful thing human eyes had ever seen. She looked like the goddess of the dawn when she entered the village that morning; the sun was shining for once, and it glittered off his white skin and lit the golden hair that flowed down to her knees. Her face was magical in its beauty, her eyes black in her white face. Some fell to their knees to worship her.

"She asked something in a high, piercing voice, in a language no one had ever heard. The people were dumbfounded, not knowing how to answer her. There was none of Taha Aki's blood among the witnesses but one small boy. He clung to his mother and screamed that the smell was hurting his nose. One of the elders, on his way to council, heard the boy and realized what had come among them/ He yelled for the people to run. She killed him first.

"There were twenty witnesses to the Cold Woman's approach. Two survived, only because she grew distracted by the blood, and paused to sate her thirst. They ran to Taha Aki, who sat in counsel with the other elders, his sons, and his third wife.

"Yaha Uta transformed into his spirit wolf as soon as he heard the news. He went to destroy the blood drinker alone. Taha Aki, his third wife, his sons, and his elders followed behind him.

"At first they could not find the creature, only the evidence of her attack/ Bodies lay broken, a few drained of blood, strewn across the road where she had appeared. Then they heard the scream and hurried to the harbor.

"A handful of the Quileutes had run to the ships for refuge. She swan after them like a shark, and broke the bow of their boat with her incredible strength. When the ship sank, she caught those trying to swim away and broke them, too.

"She saw the great wolf on the shore, and she forgot the fleeing swimmers. She swam so fast she was a blur and came, dripping and glorious, to stand before Yaha Uta. She pointed at him with one white finger and asked another incomprehensible question. Yaha Uta waited.

"It was a close fight. She was not the warrior her mate had been. But Yaha Uta was alone- there was no one to distract her fury from him.

"When Yaha Uta lost, Taha Aki screamed in defiance. He limped forward and shifted into an ancient, white-muzzled wolf. The wolf was old, but this was Taha Aki the Spirit Man; and his rage made him strong. The fight began again.

"Taha Aki's third wife had just seen her son die before her. Now her husband fought, and she had no hope that he could win. She had heard every word the witnesses to the slaughter had told the council. She had heard the story of Yaha Uta's first victory, and knew that his brother's diversion had saves him.

"The third wife grabbed a knife from the belt of one of the sons who stood beside her. They were all young sons, not yet men and she knew they would die when their father failed.

"The third wife ran toward the Cold Woman with the dagger raised high. The Cold Woman smiled, barely distracted from her fight with the old wolf. She had no fear of the weak human woman or the knife that would not even scratch her skin, and she was about to deliver the death blow to Taha Aki.

"And then the third wife did something the Cold Woman did not expect. She fell to her knees at the blood drinker's feet and plunged the knife into her own heart.

"Blood spurted through the third wife's fingers and splashed against the Cold Woman. The blood drinker could not resist the lure of the fresh blood leaving the third wife's body. Instinctively, she turned to the dying woman, for one second entirely consumed by thirst.

"Taha Aki's teeth closed around her neck.

"That was not the end of the fight, but Taha Aki was not alone now. Watching their mother die, two young sons felt such rage that they sprang forth as their spirit wolves, though they were not yet men. With their father, they finished the creature.

"Taha Aki never rejoined the tribe. He never changed back to a man again. He lay for one day beside the body of the third wife, growling whenever anyone tried to touch her, and then he went into the forest and never returned."

All was silent for a long moment. The living descendants of magic and legend stared at one another across the fire with sadness in their eyes. All but one

"Burden" he scoffed in a low voice. "It's not that bad." Paul's full lower lip pouted out a little bit, making him look adorable.

Billy chuckled, low and long, and the magic seemed to fade into the glowing embers. Suddenly, it was just a circle of friends again. Hared flicked a small stone at Paul, and everyone laughed when it made him jump. Low conversations murmured around us, teasing and casual.

Neither Jacob nor I spoke he was so still beside me, his breath so deep and even, that I thought he might be close to sleep.

My mind was a thousand years away. I was not thinking of Yaha Uta or the other wolves, or the beautiful Cold Woman- I could picture her only too easily. No, I was thinking of someone outside the magic altogether. I was trying to imagine the face of the unnamed woman who had saved the entire tribe, the third wife.

Just a human woman, with no special gifts or powers. Physically weaker and slower than any of the monsters in the story. But she had been the key, the solution. She had saved her husband, her young sons, her tribe.

I wish they'd remembered her name...

Something touched my arm.

I looked at Emily who nodded over at Paul who was starting towards me.

"Do us all a favour and keep an open mind" she whispered to me.

"What do you mean?" I asked, puzzled by her words.

"You'll see" Emily replied mysteriously.

"Do you mind taking a walk with me?" Paul asked, uncharacteristically nervous.

"Sure." I may have been confused by Emily's words, and I knew that they was a reason behind Paul's nervousness and why he wanted me to take a walk with him, but I was still eager to walk with him anyway.

**AN: I have a load of thank yous to get done so bare with me people.**

**Thank you to:**

**xXxShadowXWolfxXx, YankeeGorlINJ, .LOVES3, tabby1216, love-be-Dimka's, Kyuubinaruto634, guardgirl1414, hlwardnam, Freezing Fire81, Sweet Little Mary Sue, ellenlooney, Asarin159, smartass6, twlightfan871, Renesmee 2000 and Mingamae for putting my story on your story alert.**

**Thank you also to:**

**Riddle-tom12, girlie18, La Push Wolf Girl, Dance-bubble6294686, moon star54916, vampiresrok, Stjarma8, Freezing Fire81, imprintlove, lovelyHJ, ILoveltachi97, Auroraboreales, babygirl141096, smartass6 and Sasibell for putting my story on your favourite list.**

**And my special thanks for reviewing my story:**

**Ozlady80: I'm updating as fast as humanly possible. After all I'm no wolf ; )**

**ILoveltachi97: I'm glad my story is good enough for you :D**

**Twilightfan871: Like I said to Ozlady80, I'm updating as fast as possible**

**And thank you too all those other people who are reading. I hope it this Author's Note wasn't too long for yah :D It was certainly too long for my liking**

**~Poison Ivey**


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

So here we were and Paul, walking along the moonlit beach. I wasn't sure how long we walked in a comfortable silence but I knew I shouldn't say anything. Of course, my curiosity got the better of me.

"You wanted to talk to me" I prompted him.

"Actually, I wanted to walk with you, not talk with you" he said cockily, running a nervous hand through his hair, and I could have sworn he was blushing, though it was hard to tell with his dark skin.

"Mouth says one thing, body language says another" I shot back, rolling my eyes in his direction.

I suddenly remembered what Emily had said about keeping an open mind, and I started gnawing on my lip.

Paul took a deep, nervous breath. "I want to tell you something. And you already know it...its kinda obvious by the way I have been acting lately...but I think I should say it out loud anyway. Just so there is never any confusion on the subject.

I planted my feet, and he came to a stop.

"I imprinted, Bella. I imprinted on you" Paul finally said in a strong voice.

My mouth fell open in shock.

"I know" Paul chucked. "Fate can be sick and twisted sometimes."

My eyebrows pulled together in confusion.

"So you don't...want that? You don't want me to be your imprint?"

"Well, who would have thought I would imprint on a fucking leech-lover?" Paul joked, and became suddenly very serious again. "I cannot hate you, Bella. The same as I cannot not love you."

I stared at him for a long minute, speechless, with my mind completely blank. I could not think of one thing to say to him. He waited patiently as he watched my dumbfounded expression carefully and warily.

"Shit" was what firs came out of my smart mouth. It took me a minute to realise what I had just said and, when I did finally get the words through my thick skull, I clamped my hand over my mouth in shock, my eyes widening.

"Goes to show you've been hanging around with us werewolves for too long" Paul laughed.

"Charlie is gonna fucking shoot me" I muttered, making Paul laugh even harder.

"I won't tell him" he said, still laughing his ass off.0

I sighed, and he instantly became serious again, but still a faint trace of humour still echoed in his chocolate brown orbs.

"This sucks for you, dun it?" I said. "Falling in love with a girl that may never be able to love you back."

"That pretty much sums up the whole fucking situation" Paul agreed.

I sighed again. "Will you give me time?"

"Of course, sweetheart. I'll give you all the time in the world" he smiled, and we both made our way back to the bonfire.

When me and Paul got back to the bonfire, everyone stopped their conversations and watched us curiously. It was so obvious that everyone knew Paul had imprinted on me. Why was I always the last to know?

Suddenly feeling self-conscious, I rushed towards Jacob and whispered hurriedly- though I'm pretty sure that every heard it- "Can you give me a lift home now, please."

Jacob nodded, looking worried; but he didn't ask anything. I knew he wouldn't.

It was a quiet, uncomfortable drive home as Jacob assessed me and I was grateful to be inside the shelter of my comforting home. I was even more grateful for the fact that Charlie wasn't home.

I threw myself upstairs and into my bedroom. I needed to think.

"This is so fucked up" I said aloud as I fell onto my bed like a rag doll. I didn't even know what to think about. "Okay, let's get your facts straight, girl."

Number one- You're best friends is a werewolf and has a family who are also a pack of wolves apart from Emily.

Number two- You've been imprinted on my one of the werewolves called Paul.

Number three- Victoria is after you and now probably after the pack.

I literally jumped out of my skin when I heard a soft knock on my window. I sat up and looked over at it, half expecting to see Victoria with her wild, fiery hair blowing viciously in the wind. What I wasn't expecting to see, though, was Emily grinning at me like an idiot on Sam's back.

I jumped off the bed and opened the window.

"Sweet mother of god, you scared the living daylights out of me!"

"Hello to you too" Emily laughed, climbing carefully into my bedroom with Sam's help.

"I'll wait outside" Sam said, giving Emily a quick kiss before dropping from the tree.

"I don't want to see rude or anything, but what on planet earth are you doing here?" I asked her.

"I figured you might need some sisterly help" Emily smiled. "I know this imprinting stuff can mess with your head."

"You're right, I already have a head like the devil" I moaned.

Emily laughed and the two of us sat on my bed.

"How did you know Sam was the one, Emily?" I sighed, closing my eyes.

"I don't know" Emily said truthfully. "I just felt it. It was like a pull towards him; a pull I couldn't ignore, no matter how hard I tried. Do you know the story of me and Sam?"

"No" I shook my head. "I felt it wasn't for me to know."

Emily smiled. "I like you more and more every day. Well, do you know Leah Clearwater?"

"Sure" I said. "Sue and Harry's daughter."

"Yeah, well, she and Sam were dating a while back. In fact, they were still dating after Sam changed into a wolf. I was coming round for Christmas and, well, that was when it happened."

"Oh my gosh, that must have been so hard for all of you!" I breathed.

"You're telling me" Emily rolled her eyes. "I knew Leah was so desperately in love with Sam and so I didn't want to hurt her even more. So I tried to avoid Sam as much as possible and he respected my wishes. But soon it became too hard for us to ignore. That's the problem with imprinting. Sometimes it hurts the people you love but you can't ignore it or the pain will become too much."

"Do you think I will have a choice?" I asked quietly.

"You always will" Emily smiled warmly. "But I'm just saying. I don't think you should ignore the connection or you'll just end up hurting both of you. Maybe you should try being just friends?"

"Yes, I think I will" I agreed. "Thank you so much, Emily. You've been a great help."

"I'm always happy to help my sister."

She called for Sam and both of them disappeared into the night, leaving me with a lot to think about.

**AN: More thank yous to get over and done with.**

**Thank you to:**

** for putting me on Arthur Alert**

**Thank you to:**

**Greeneyes8, Jessica luvs lutzie, mizzcatherine113, Fallunder, jkmewherter, MigratingCoconutes06, VampireEva, XxEmo-WolfgirlxX for putting my story on their story alert**

**Thank you to:**

**Shelbycullen2010, isis70, princessxoamber, Speedy raider, Christiana Gordon, Shadowbyss191, La Push Wolf Girl, Eclipsed Sun, Don'tWorryIBite and Ika0110 for putting my story on their favourite story list.**

**And my special thanks for reviewing my story:**

**Isis70: Thanks so much. I love those stories too but I not a big fan on the ones where Jacob is in love with Bella because I hate it that he's in pain because of his brothers.**

**La Push Wolf Girl: Thank you. I'm trying to add as much detail as I can without it being too much.**

**YankeeGorlINJ: Sorry if this chapter has been a little disappointing for you, but I wanted their relationship to develop. I don't know about anyone else but I don't really believe in love at first sight because I would like someone to fall in love with me because of my personality, no0t just my looks.**

**Tokidokilver: No, you're not being too harsh. I love it when people suggest things to make my story better. This story is really based on the books with Victoria and the Newborns but it will eventually become completely my own work with a few quotes here and there as Bella and Paul's relationship develops.**

**AlaShe-Who-Hurts: Alana-Maybelle~ I'm glad you liked it Azazel Marby~ same to you too :)**

**MigratingCoconuts60: I'm updating as fast as I can. After all, I'm no supernatural creature ;D**

**Ozlady80: Thank you :D**

**And thank you to all those out there who are reading 'Poisoned Love'**

**~Poison Ivey**


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I spent ages and ages thinking about mine and Emily's conversation last night. I knew that I could NEVER hurt Paul that way even if I wanted to, but I also knew that I may never be able to love him in the way that he loves me. And I didn't know what to do. So I just sat there, staring at my clock that flashed 5:05 at me in big, red letters, though, as I continued to stare at it, it flashed 9:06 at me.

Suddenly, something that Emily had said to last night flashed across my mind:

"_Maybe you should try being just friends?"_

Why not?

"Oh, I don't know!" I shrieked, thanking the heavens that Charlie wasn't back from work yet.

Still grumbling to myself, I turned on my CD player and starting listening to some random disk that was in there.

I groaned inwardly when I realised what disk was in there and turned it off. That was a song that I didn't need to listen too right now. It would only make me feel worse.

I eventually decided to Jacob's to see if he had any bright ideas on what to do that would keep my mind of my problem. I would sort that out later.

I expected Jacob to meet me out front, the way he usually did when my noisy truck announced my arrival. When he didn't, I guessed that he might still be sleeping. I would wait- let him get as much rest as he could. He needed his sleep, and that would give the day time to warm a bit more, ready for whatever we were going to do. Jacob had been right about the weather yesterday, though; it had changed in the night. A thick layer of clouds pressed heavily on the atmosphere now, making it almost sultry; it was warm and close under the gray blanket. I left my sweater on the truck.

I knocked as quietly as I could on the door.

"C'mon in, Bella" Billy said.

He was at the kitchen table, eating cold cereal.

"Is Jacob sleeping?"

"Err, no." He set his spoon down, and his eyebrows pulled together.

"What happened?" I demanded. I could tell from his expression that something had.

"Embry, Jared and Paul cross a fresh trail early this morning. Sam and Jacob took off to help. Sam was hopeful- she's hedged herself in beside the mountains. He thinking they have a good chance to finish this."

"Oh, no, Billy" I whispered, worry running around in my veins making me slightly light headed. "Oh, no."

He chuckled, deep and low. "Do you really like La Push so well that you want to extend your sentence here?"

"Don't make jokes, Billy. This is too scary for that."

"You're right" he agreed, still complacent. His ancient eyes were impossible to read. "This one's tricky."

I bit my lip.

"It's not as dangerous for them as you think it is. Sam knows what he's doing. You're the one that you should worry about. The vampire doesn't want to fish them. She is just trying to find a way around them... to you."

"How does Sam know what he's doing?" I demanded, brushing aside his concern for me. "They have only killed jus the one vampire- that could have been just mere luck for all we know!"

"We take what we do very seriously, Bella. Nothing's been forgotten. Everything they need to know has been passed down from father to son for generations."

That didn't comfort me the way he probably intended it to. The memory of Victoria, wild, catlike, lethal, was too strong in my head. If she couldn't get around the wolves, she would eventually try to go through them.

Billy went back to his breakfast; I sat down on the sofa and flipped aimlessly through the TV channels. That didn't last long. I started to feel closed in by the small room, claustrophobic, upset by the fact that I couldn't see out the curtained windows.

"I'll be at the beach" I told Billy abruptly, and hurried out the door.

Being outside didn't help as much as I had hoped. The clouds pushed down with an invisible weight that kept the claustrophobia from easing. The forest seemed strangely vacant as I walked toward the beach. I couldn't hear any birds, either. The silence was eerie; there wasn't even the sound of wind in the trees. It was like a ghost town down in La Push.

As soon as I reached the beach, I wished I hadn't come- I had already had enough of this place. I had been here almost every day, wandering along. Was it so much different from my nightmares? But where else was there to go?

Farther out, the waved were angrier than they were along the shore. I could see them battering against the line of the cliffs, spraying big white clouds of sea foam into the sky. There was still no movement in the air, though the clouds roiled more quickly now. It was eerie looking- like the clouds were moving by their own will. I shivered, though I knew it was just a trick of the pressure.

I sighed as I sat down on one of those cliffs and stared out at the sea, ruff and furious. It was almost like a cat playing with its food as I watched the boats bob up and down violently further out.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here then?" said a voice behind me that I knew all too well.

I jumped up and spun around, gasping as I took in the figure standing in front of me. Oh, shit.

**(I really was tempted to leave it here but I decided to be nice and let this chapter carry on...but only because you guys are awesome.)**

Victoria stood there, her red hair moving ever so slightly even though there was no wind to play with it and her red eyes glowing like those of a demon.

A scream built up in my throat and I took an involuntary step back. I gasped again, my foot caught on a rock and I fell backwards, down into the icy sea.

I distantly heard Victoria's cry of rage and wolves howling as they picked up her scent.

I sliced through the surface of the water. It was icy, colder than I had feared, and I dread to even just imagine what kind of creatures were swarming underneath me, looking for food.

It isn't that bad I realised. Really, all I had to do was swim back up to the surface and then swim back to the shore.

That was when the current caught me.

It felt like the waved were fighting over me, jerking me back and forth between them as if determined to share by pulling me into halves. I knew the right way to avoid a riptide: swim parallel to the beach rather than struggling for the short. But the knowledge did me little good when I didn't know which way the shore was.

I couldn't even tell which way the surface was.

The angry water was black in every direction; there was no brightness to direct me upward. Gravity was all-powerful when it competed with the air, but it had nothing on the waves- I couldn't feel a downward pull, a sinking in any directions. Just the battering of the current that flung me round and round like a rag doll.

I fought to keep my breath in, to keep my lips locked around my last store of oxygen. But I knew I was dying. I was surprised by how sure that knowledge was. I was going to drown. I was drowning. And there was nothing I could do about it.

**AN: Sorry you have to put up with me. I was just wondering whether or not you could give me some poems or songs. Thank you.**

**Thank you to:**

**Spoledgrl881, OnlyTheGoodeSpyYoung13, Sonybrady1971, ShamelesslyObsessed, tainaprq, Chiyal8, kyuubinaruto634, Laura Rebecca Esme and KK1999 for putting my story on your story alert**

**Thank you to:**

**Jacob-Embry-Paul, Elenandevika, OnlyTheGoodeSpyYoung13, Srarriver92, FredsForeverFanGirl, tabb1216, Siwiutka85 and Lauma96 for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**And for all those who reviewed:**

**Ozlady80: I'm glad :)**

**Jacob-Embry-Paul: Okay, okay, okay, calm down. Writing as fast as possible: D**

**OnlyTheGoodeSpyYoung13: Thank you. That means a lot to me.**

**Sonaybrady1971: LOL!**

**Tokidokiluver: Thanks, though I'm pretty sure you're just as good as me and probably so much more :)**

**YankeeGirlINJ: Neither can I, neither can I...**

**MigratingCoconuts06: Like I've been sayin, writing as fast as I can :D**

**From**

**~Poison Ivey**


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

At that moment, my head broke the surface.

How disorienting. I'd been sure I was sinking.

The current wouldn't give up. It was slamming me against more rocks; they were beating against the centre of my back sharply, rhythmically, pushing the water from my lungs. It gushed out in amazing volume, absolute torrents pouring from my mouth and nose. The salt burned and my lungs burned and my throat was too full of water to catch a breath and the rocks were hurting my back. Somehow I stayed in one place, though the waves still heaved around e. I couldn't see anything but water everywhere, reaching for my face.

"Breathe!" a voice, wild with anxiety, ordered. I couldn't identify who the voice belonged to.

It didn't matter anyway, because I could not obey. The waterfall pouring from my mouth didn't stop long enough for me to catch a breath. The black, icy water filled my chest, burning.

The rock smacked into my back again, right between my shoulder blades, and another volley of water chocked its way out of my lungs.

"Breathe, Bella! C'mon!" the mysterious voice begged.

Black spots bloomed across my vision, getting wider and wider, blocking out the light.

The rock struck me again.

The rock wasn't cold like the water; it was hot on my skin. I realized that it was the mysterious man's hand, trying to beat the water from my lungs. The iron bar that had dragged me from the sea was also...warm...My head whirled; the black spots covered everything...

Was I dying again, then? The sound of the crashing waves faded into the black and became a quiet, even whoosh that sounded like it was coming from the inside of my ears...

"Bella?" the man asked his voice still tense, and just as wild as before. I suddenly realised that the mysterious man was Paul. "Bells, honey, can you hear me?"

The contents of my head swished and rolled sickeningly, like they had joined the rough water...

"How long has she been unconscious?" someone else asked.

The voice that was not Paul's shocked me, jarred me into more focused awareness.

I realised that I was still. There was no tug of the current on me- the heaving was inside my head. The surface under me was flat and motionless. It felt grainy against my bare arms.

"I don't know" Paul reported, still frantic. His voice was very close. Hands- so warm they had to be his- brushed my wet hair from my cheeks. "A few minutes? It didn't take long to tow her onto the beach."

The quiet whooshing inside my ears was not the waves- it was the air moving in and out of my lungs again. Each breath burned- the passage ways were as raw as if I had scrubbed them out with steel wood. But I was breathing again.

And i was freezing. A thousand sharp, icy beads were striking my face and arms, making the cold even worse.

"She's breathing. She will come around We should get her out of the cold, though. I don't like the colour she's turning..." I recognised Sam's voice this time.

"You think its okay to move her?"

"She didn't hurt her back or anything when she fell?"

"I don't know."

They hesitated.

I tried to open my eyes. It took me a minute, but then I could see the dark, purple clouds, flinging the freezing rain down on me. "Paul?" I croaked.

Paul's face blocked out the sky. "Oh!" he gasped, relief washing over his godlike features. His beautiful eyes were wet from the rain. "Oh, Bella! Are you okay? Can you hear me? Do you hurt anywhere?"

"J-Just 0my throat" I stuttered, my lips quivering from the cold. "And my w-wrist."

"Let's get you out of her, then" Paul said. He slid his arms under me, being careful with my right wrist, and lifted me without effort- like picking up an empty box. His chest was bare and warm; he hunched his shoulders to keep the rain off of me. My head lolled over his arm. I stared vacantly back toward furious water, beating the sand behind him.

"You got her?" I heard Sam ask.

"Yeah, I'll take it from here. Get back to the hospital and I'll join you later. Thanks, Sam."

My head was still rolling. None of his words sunk in at first. Sam didn't answer. There was no sound, and I wondered if he was already gone.

The water licked and withered up the san after us as Paul carried me away, like it was angry that I had escaped. As I stared wearily, a spark of colour caught my unfocused eyes- a small flash of fire was dancing on the black water, far out in the bay. The image made no sense, and I wondered how conscious I really was. My head swirled with the memory of the black, churning water- of being so lost that I couldn't find up or down...so lost...but somehow Paul...

"I was searching for you" he told me. He was half-jogging through the rain, up the beach to the road. "I followed the tire tracks to your truck, and then I heard you scream..." He shuddered. "Why did you jump, Bella? Didn't you notice that it's turning into a hurricane out here?" Anger filled his tone as the relief faded, making me flinch.

"I didn't jump" I muttered.

"What do you mean? Did someone push you?" he asked, his eyes blazing. Drops of rain shook free of his hear as his head jerked sharply towards me.

"Victoria" I said. "She found me." I sounded like a chain smoker. I tried to clear my throat...and then winced; the throat-clearing felt like stabbing a knife down there. "She kinda gave me a fright and I forgot I was standing on a cliff and fell off." It was my turn to shudder, though I wasn't cold here, right next to his ridiculous body heat.

Paul shook his head in disbelief. He was still more running than walking as he headed up a road I didn't recognise.

"San came back with you... is everyone else home, too?" I hoped they weren't still out searching for her.

"Yeah. Sort of."

I tried to read his expression, squinting into the hammering rain. His eyes were tight with worry or pain.

The words that hadn't made sense before suddenly did.

"You said...hospital. Before, to Sam. Is someone hurt? Did she fight you?" My voice jumped up an octave, sounding strange with the hoarseness.

"No, no. When we got back, Em was waiting with the news. It's Harry Clearwater. Harry had a heart attack this morning."

"Harry?" I shook my head, trying to absorb what he was saying. "Oh, no! Does Charlie know?"

"Yeah. He's over there, too, with Billy as well."

"Is Harry going to be okay?"

Paul's eyes tightened again. "It doesn't look so great right now."

Abruptly, I felt really sick with worry. Harry was like an uncle to me when I was younger, and still was, and Sue must be feeling like total shit. Tears began forming in my eyes and I quickly blinked them back. I bursting into tears won't help anyone.

Where are we going?" I managed to ask, silently begging for another topic.

"My house" Paul answered.

And at that moment the rain stopped as Paul walked through the door. I could hear the storm pounding against the roof.

"I'll get you some dry clothes" Paul muttered as he dumped me on a chair.

I let my eyes adjust to the dark room while Paul banged around in his bedroom and I took in my surroundings.

It wasn't the type of house I had expected to see because it was just so clean. There was a chocolate brown, leather chair in the far left hand corner form the door and a matching sofa right next to the door, pushed up against the wall. There was an autumn red coloured fluffy rug in the middle of the floor. There was a painting of a forest on the wall and a black mirror hanging over a fireplace. On the mantelpiece were loads and loads of pictures of Paula and his sister, Kristina, or Krissy.

Krissy was already married to some guy called Craig and had a one year old girl called Isobel, or Izzy.

Krissy had had black, gorgeous long black hair that went down to her waist and Paul's chocolate brown eyes _and _she had a figure that most women would die for- men too, but for different reasons.

Paul was back in a couple of minutes. He threw a black shirt and some shorts at me. "There will be huge on you, but it's the best I've got. You can grab a shower if you want to."

"Thanks" I said and made my way upstairs. I knew where the shower was, because most the houses in La Push were mostly the same and I'd been in Jacob's house countless times so I knew it back to front and front to back.

I stepped into the shower and let my thoughts overwhelm me. What a day it had been. And it was only just beginning.

**AN: I am so, so, so sorry that I'm late. Please forgive me. And so i begin with the thank yous again:**

**Thank you to:**

**Spoiledgrl1881, OnlyGoodeSpyYoung13, Sonyabrady1971, Shamelessly Obsessed, tainaproq, Chiyal8, kyuubinaruto634, LauraRebeccaEsme, KK1999, Adricullenhale, Dancer96, daisyrose22, TwilightGrl14, FrogQueenLaurel, Cybrane, WittleMadHatter and Moki Roho for putting my story on your story alerts**

**Thank you to:**

**Jacob-Embry-Paul, Elenandevika, OnlyTheGoodeSpyYoung13, Starriver92, FredsForeverFanGirl, tabby1216, Siwiutka85, Lauma96, kmiller29138, Angelowth-Black-Wings13, SweetlyVampLover101, EmmetsGirly, , Theisis70, WishIwasAWeasley, JMMendiole, Wolfwifet0611, Asarin159, Paul'sImrpint20, daisyrose22, asimpledesign and BellaItaliana8987 for putting mu story on your favourite story list.**

**And for all those who reviewed:**

**Theisis70: Thank you so much for the poem. I will really find it useful. Keep an eye out for your poem in my story.**

**LovelyHJ: THANK YOU!**

**Sonyabrady1971: You're telling me ;D I kinda pick that out of the story and I'm trying to use that technique too.**

**YankeeGirlINJ: Well, you'll just have to read this chapter, won't yah :D. Thanks**

**MigratingCoconuts06: Thanks**

**: Thanks. You know how clumsy Bella can be and so I wanted to put that in my story as well :D**

**Daisyrose22: Will do**

**Sassygirl1191: Coming right up**

**I don't own twilight which makes me v. Sad**

**~Poison Ivey**


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

After I was done showering and pretty much decent, I plopped myself onto the sofa.

"This is a really nice house, you've got" I said, gesturing around me. "I feel like I'm in a forest."

"Thanks" Paul smiled, sitting on the floor next to me with his back against the couch. "Krissy decorated it for me. She's an interior designer; it's her job."

"Cool" I smiled back, as I studied his features. I was wondering when he had last slept because he looked as exhausted as I felt.

He leaned his head on the cushion next to mine and yawned. "Guess I could rest for a minute..."

His eyes closed.

A sudden picture flashed into my mind, clear and strong, like I was actually seeing it, but in a way I wasn't. It was a picture of a balcony at night and a painted moon hanging in the sky. I watched the girl in her nightdress lean on the railing and talk to herself.

Meaningless... but when I slowly struggled back to consciousness, the picture troubled me, though I wasn't sure why.

Paul's slow, deep breathing was the only sound in the room- like a lullaby hummed to a child, like the whisper of a rocking chair, like the ticking of an old clock when you had nowhere you needed to go...It was the sound of comfort.

I let my mind wander away from my fantasies and though about reality instead. I knew I shouldn't have gone up on the cliff, even though I wasn't going to jump. That would have been stupid. And not just the cliff, but the motorcycles and the whole irresponsible Evel Knievel bit. What if something bad happened to me? What would that do to Charlie? Harry's heart attack had pushed everything suddenly into perspective for me. A perspective that I didn't want to see, because- if I admitted to the truth of it- It would mean that I would have to change my ways. Could I live like that?

Maybe. It wouldn't be easy; in fact, it would be down-right miserable to give up my hallucinations and try to be a grown-up. But maybe I should do it, if not for my sake, but for other people. And maybe I could, if I had Paul.

I couldn't make that decision right now. It hurt too much. I would think about something else, which wouldn't be too hard to find. I defiantly had something to think about. Like, telling Paul that I only wanted to be friends right now until I had put myself in line. Somehow, I don't think it would be right for me to say it like that to him.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a car squelching through the mud on the road outside. I heard it stop in front of the house, and the doors started opening and closing. I thought about sitting up, and the decided against that idea. My body just wanted to lie here limp, to never move again.

The door opened, and the light flicked on. I blinked, momentarily blind. Paul startled awake, gasping and jumping to his feet.

"Sorry" Jared mumbled. "Did I wake you?"

My eyes slowly focused on his face, and then, as I could read his expression, they filled with tears.

"Oh, no, Jared!" I moaned.

He nodded slowly, his expression hard with grief. I jumped of the sofa, completely forgetting my tiredness, and hugged him which he returned.

Paul came over, looking pained. The pain made his face suddenly childlike- it looked odd on top of the man's body.

"I'm so sorry" I whispered, letting go of Jared.

"Jared sighed. "It's gonna be hard all around."

"Where's Charlie?"

"Your dad is still at the hospital with Sue. There are a lot of... arrangements to be made."

I swallowed hard, trying not to cry. No one needed a hysteric Bella on their hands. It wouldn't change or help anything.

"I'd better get back there" Jared sighed. "I only came to give you the news." And, with that, he ducked hastily out the door.

Paul stared after him for a minute, and then came to sit on the floor with me again. He put his face in his hands. I rubbed his shoulder, wishing I could think of anything to say.

After a long moment, Paul caught my hand and held it to his face.

"How are you feeling? Are you okay? I probably should have taken you to a doctor or something." He sighed.

"Don't worry about me" I croaked.

He twisted his head to look at me. His eyes were rimmed in red. "You don't look so good."

I shrugged. "Don't worry about me."

Something told me that now wasn't the time to tell Paul that I just wanted to be friends with him.

"I'll go get your truck and then take you home- you probably ought to be to be there when Charlie gets back."

"Right."

I lay listlessly on the sofa while I waited for him. The whole house was silently. I felt like a peeping tom, peering through the cracks at a private sorrow that wasn't mine.

It didn't take Paul long. The roar of my truck's engine broke the silence before I expected it. He helped me up from the couch without speaking, keeping his arm around my shoulder when the cold air outside made me shiver. He took the driver's seat without asking, and then pulled me next to his side to keep his arm tight around me. I leaned my head against his chest.

"How will you get home?" I asked quietly.

"I'm not going home. We still haven't caught the bloodsucker, remember?"

My next shudder had nothing to do with the cold.

It was a quiet ride after that. The cold air had woke me up. My mind was alert, and it was working very hard and very fast.

What if? What was the right thing to do?

I couldn't imagine my life without Paul now- I cringed away from the idea of even trying to imagine that. Somehow, he had become essential to my survival. But to leave thing the way they were...was that cruel, as Mike had accused?

I remembered wishing that Paul were my brother when I first saw him. I realized now that all I really wanted was a claim on him. It didn't feel brotherly when he held me like this. It just felt nice- warm and comforting and familiar. Safe. Paul was a safe harbor.

I could stake a claim. I had that much within my power.

I would have to tell him everything, I knew that. It was the only way to be fair. I would ahve to explain it right, so that he would know I wasn't settling, that he was much too good for me. He already knew I was broken, that part wouldn't surprise him, but he would need to know the extent of it. I would even have to admit that I was crazy- explain about the voices I heard. He would need to know everything before he made a decision.

But, even as I recognized that necessity, I knew he would take me in spite of it all. He wouldn't even pause to think it through.

I would have to commit to this- commit as much of me as there was left, very one of the broken pieces. It was the only way to be fair to him. Would I? Could I?

Would it be so wrong to try to make Paul happy? Even if the love I felt for him was no more than a weak echo of what I was capable of, even if my heart was far away, wandering and grieving after my fickle Romeo, would it be so very wrong?

Paul stopped the truck in front of my dark house, cutting the engine so it was suddenly silent. Like so many other times since we've met, he seemed to be in tune with my thoughts now.

He threw his other arm around me, crushing me against his chest, binding me to him. Again, this felt nice. Almost like being a whole person again.

I thought he would be thinking of Harry, but then he spoke, and his tone was apologetic. "I know I've dumped a lot on you this past few weeks, sorry. I just want you to know that I don't mind whatever decision you make, as long as it will make you happy. I swear I don't mind, I'm just so glad you're okay that I could sing0 and that's something no one wants to hear." He laughed his throaty laugh in my ear.

My breathing kicked up a notch, sanding the walls of my throat.

"Come on, let's get you inside" Paul said, jumping out of my truck and at supper-speed ran around it so he could open my door for me.

"Thanks" I smiled, blushing. Curse the stupid blush. Paul just chuckled.

Hearing Paul chuckled, it made me realise that everything was going to be all right. Eventually.

**AN: Oh my gosh, it's snowing! After I finished this chapter, I'm gonna go out and freeze my back-side off :DDDDDDDDD**

**There aren't so many thank yous but I'm gonna say them anyway:**

**Thank you to:**

**Seza3175, Pearls-A-QT and Firefox Shai for putting my story on your Story Alert**

**Thank you to:**

**Seza3175 and Firefox Shai for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**And last but not least, thank you to:**

**Pearls-A-QT for putting me on your Author Alert**

**Just remembering, keep those reviews coming**

**~Poison Ivey**


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

After Paul left, I was pretty much bored out of my mind. I tried to busy myself with the washing up- which wasn't much. I was going to do the laundry but, when I looked at the state of my room, I decided against it. Personally, it looked like a hurricane had gone through the middle of it.

The next days weren't too bad, though. I went to Emily's house for a sleepover and met Kim, Jared's Imprint. She was a lovely girl, a little shy, and very beautiful. I could see why Jared had imprinted on her. And Quil had shifted so the boys spent as much time as they could with him to try and help him control his anger.

The real drama didn't start until a couple of days after that when I went into my bedroom to get the laundry over and done with. I knew the laundry was building up, so after I out my toothpaste away and threw my dirty clothes in the hamper, I went o strip Charlie's bed. I left his sheets in a pile at the top of the stairs and went to get mine.

I paused beside the bed, cocking my head to the side.

Where was my pillow? I turned in a circle, scanning the room. No pillow. I noticed my room looked oddly tidy. Hadn't my gray sweatshirt been draped over the low bedpost on the footboard? And I would swear there had been a pair of dirty socks behind the rocking chair, along with the red blouse I had tried on two mornings ago, but decided was too dressy for school, hanging over the arm...

Was Charlie doing laundry? That was out of character.

"Dad, did you start the wash?" I shouted out my door.

"Um, no" he shouted back, sounding guilty. "Did you want me to?"

"No, I got it. Were you looking for something in my room?"

"No. Why?"

"I can't find...a shirt..."

"I haven't been in there."

This was odd; very odd. Could it have been someone from the pack who had come to check if Charlie was okay while I was away? It was, it looked like they had cleaned while they were passing through. I blushed for my slovenly way, and then remembered that I would have known if one of them had been in my room. So who the hell had been in here?

I ripped my sheets off and headed for the laundry closet, grabbing Charlie's on the way, and trying desperately not to panic.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Charlie yelled.

"Not yet."

I went back upstairs and shut my door before grabbing my phone. I scrolled down until I found Paul's bane and pressed the call button. He picked up on the first ring.

"Hey Bella, what's up?" he asked cheerfully.

"Okay, I'm probably being paranoid but I think someone's been in my house and taken some f my stuff" I whispered, panic and fear weaving in and out of my voice. "Stuff with my scent on it."

"On my way."

After he hung up, I spent a couple of minutes taking deep breaths, trying to calm myself down, before heading downstairs.

"Billy called, asked if I wanted to come fishing. You don't mind, do you?" Charlie called from the front door. Gotta love Billy.

"Of course not" I called back. I was relieved. I didn't want Charlie in the middle of this.

Just a few seconds after Charlie had left, the doorbell rang, signalling Paul's arrival.

"Come in, Paul!" I shouted as loud as I dared.

"Are you okay" Paul said urgently, rushing into the room along with Sam.

"Physically" I said, shaking slightly "fine."

"Alright, Paul, you stay here with Bella and I'll go and investigate" Sam said, his voice impossible calm. "Bella, where is the intruder's scent the worst?"

"I don't know" I admitted. I felt a bit better now with Paul at my side. "I guess it would be my bedroom, I think. That is where all my stuff has gone missing."

Paul and Sam's eyes narrowed identically. They didn't like that one bit.

"I'll just be a minute." And, with that, Sam disappeared upstairs.

Paul sat me down at the table and wrapped a protective arm around my waist, pulling me close to him. We just sat there, in a comfortable silence, waiting for Sam to come down stairs again.

"Well" said Sam as he came back into the room with his nose wrinkled in disgust "the scent was easy enough to catch. It reeks!"

"I'll buy some air freshener" I muttered, staring at a crack in my wall.

"Come on" Paul said, pulling me up. "We need to go to Sam and Emily's house so we can figure this out."

I nodded mechanically. "How are we getting there?"

"We're gonna have to run" said Sam apologetically. "You'll ride on Paul."

"Okay" I said.

When we got outside, the boys went behind a bush and, when they came back, they were wolves.

"You're huge" I muttered to Paul as he knelt down for me to get on. He barked out a laugh and I rolled my eyes.

I clambered onto his back and he ran. The speed was exhilarating, much better than it was with Edward. It was like I could fully trust Paul not to run into trees and killing me, not like Edward.

When we got there, the pack was already there, ready and waiting. We entered to see Emily leaning against the counter, Jared, with Kim sitting on his lap, on wooden chairs and Jacob was sitting on an armchair that was tucked up in the corner. Paul pulled me to the sofa and I sat next to him. Emily walked towards us, sitting down next to me and putting her arm around me. Paul held one of my hands tightly in both of his. Sam moved over in front of us, leaning against the wall. The only two people who were missing were Quil and Embry who, I assumed, were trying to track the scent.

"Okay" he said "let's look at this logically. What are the possibilities?"

"Victoria?" Embry suggested.

Sam shook his head. "It wasn't a scent I recognized."

"It doesn't make sense" Emily said. "If whoever it was meant to wait for Bella, you guys would know about it. He- or she- had no intention of hurting Bella. Or Charlie, for that matter."

I cringed at my father's name.

"It's going to be fine, Bell" Emily murmured, smoothing my hair.

"But was the point then?" Kim asked, looking frightened, even with her lover's arms wrapped around her.

"Checking to see if I'm still human, maybe" I said.

"What?" asked Jared.

"When I was with Edie..." I didn't call him by his real name, he didn't deserve that "...I was to become a vampire because no human is suppose to know about vampires. So they were going to change me at graduation."

Every in the room but me winced.

"Possibly" Sam admitted.

Suddenly, Embry burst through the front door, Quil right behind him, making me jump. Paul rubbed soothing circles on my hand.

"Ling gone, hours ago" Quil announced, sounding disappointed. "The trail went East, then South, and disappeared on a side road. Had a car waiting."

"That was bad luck" Jared muttered. "I wouldn't mind giving the leech a piece of my mind."

I winced, and Emily rubbed my shoulder.

"Perhaps we're looking at this the wrong way. Maybe it's a coincidence..." Kim began quietly, but stopped when she saw everyone else's incredulous expressions. "I don't mean a coincidence that a stranger happened to pick Bella's house to visit at random. I mean that maybe someone was just curious. Your scent is all around her. Was he wondering what draws you there? Or maybe wondering what the smell was?"

"Why wouldn't he just come here then? If he was curious?" Paul demanded.

"You would" Emily said with a sudden, fond smile. "The others aren't always so direct. There are a great number of you- he or she might be frightened. But Charlie wasn't harmed. This doesn't ahve to be an enemy."

"Just curious" I breathed, so low that not even Paul heard me. "Like James and Victoria had been curious, in the beginning?"

I shrugged out of Emily's arms and walked towards the window, staring out, but not really seeing anything.

"We'll extend our perimeter" Sam said. "And we can split up evenly now that Quil has joined, so we can..."

"No" I said, cutting him off and spinning around. The thought of the wolves putting themselves at risk because of me made me feel sick. "I can't put you guys at risk because of me. I'm leaving."

"No!" said Paul, jumping up with a pained expression on his face.

"Think of Charlie, Bella" Sam reasoned. "Think of him if you disappeared."

"I am thinking of Charlie as well! He's the one I'm worried about along with you guys. What if my little guest had happened to be thirsty last night? What if Victoria suddenly decides she's had enough and fights you guys? As long as I'm around, everyone's a target. If anything happened to him, or you guys, it would be my entire fault!"

"Bella, think about this for a second, please" Embry pleaded.

"I don't have a second. The more time I spend in Forks, the more you are all in danger" I said.

"Bella..." Jacob started but I ignored him and raced out the door. I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't put more and more people in danger. I just couldn't.

It hurt to leave Paul behind, more than anything, but I was doing to protect him. I wouldn't let him get hurt because of me. Yeah, I was in love with him. Oh, why did it take me so long to realise that?

**AN: I'm so sorry. I lost my list of everyone I had to thank. So the list is gunna be longer. Sorry if I didn't thank you in my last chapter:**

**Thank you to:**

**Natashar, nlwwithemmetcullen, HairInHerEyes, SookieRocks, Genuinef250, eskimogirl58, FeMcB, Naomi Black x, Kiagirl06, Nrianna Mae, Jbislou1234 and Kathy Jiester**

**Thank you to:**

**Jacob Black rulez, Paulsbaby, RayRay18, Piffy006, seasshell25, silver1996, hotstuff142, Luna Clearwater and Narley410 for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**And for those who reviewed:**

**Jacob Black rulez: Thanks you**

**Natashar: Neither can I**

**Tokidokiluver: Don't worry, I won't. I'm not a fan of those stories either.**

**LovelyHJ: Thank you. Lol, it made me laugh when I saw that. I don't mind if anyone criticise this story because it means I'll get an extra review :DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD**

**Shamelessly Obsessed: He was only a little cold cuz I wanted him to try and give Bella some space so she had room to make her choice.**

**Hotstuff142: Lol, I won't. Or this wouldn't be much of a Paul/Bella story, now, would it?**

**Naomi Black x: Updating as fast as humanly possible.**

**MigratingCoconuts06: Neither can I. I've been having a really fun time writing this story.**

**FredsForeverFanGirl: Won't do.**

**Mizzcatherine113: I know. I was so wrapped up in the story that I completely forgot. Please forgive me.**

**Fallunder: I'm glad you enjoyed it**

**Narley410: I know *squeals***

**And thank you to all of those out there who are reading this story.**

**Have a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year**

**~Poison Ivey**


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Once I had finally got to my house- I had to run the long way to try and confuse my family- I ran inside and up the stairs as fast as humanly possible. I was so glad that Charlie wasn't back yet.

I flung myself into my bedroom and ran to my bed, flinging myself on the floor to retrieve my duffel bag. I reached swiftly between the mattress and box spring to grab the knotted old sock that contained my secret cash hoard, and Phil's credit card. He had given it to me when I first came to Forks, saying it was unlimited and that I was to use it whenever I needed to. I felt really guilty about using his money, but it was an emergency. I was pretty sure Phil wouldn't mind at a time like this.

I turned to my dresser, yanking out armfuls of random clothes, which I knew were probably going to be too hot for some places, but just right for others. Once I was done, the bag was pretty much full now. I had to jerk on the zipper of my bag a few times before I could zip it smoothly. After I had carefully put the strap over my arm, I raced back down stairs.

I then left a note for Charlie saying:

_Dear Charlie,_

_I've gone away. I'm sorry I can't explain more than that, but I promise I'll be back as soon as I can. I love you more than you could ever know._

_Your loving daughter_

_Bella_

_X_

I stuck the note on the fridge where I knew he would find it and ran wildly for my truck.

I put my foot down on the exhilarator and drove as fast as the truck would go down the road. Wouldn't my ex vampire family be so proud.

I heard a distant, broken howl that I knew distinctly was Paul and it took everything in me not to turn around. I had to keep them all safe. If that wild female hurt anyone of them...

How could I live with myself when it would be my fault? None of them should be risking their lives for me. I'm not worth it.

I remembered the last time I had ran away from my family, to try and keep someone I loved safe. That didn't turn out so well, but I had still survived. I can only hope that I would survive again. I didn't know what it would do to Paul if I died, and I didn't want to find out. Of course, I wasn't running to danger, but danger could just as easily run to me.

I stopped at a car shop and jumped out of my truck. I didn't have much time. I scanned the cars in there and found a reasonably fast car. A bit snazzy, but it would do.

I quickly paid the man and drove off. I left my truck in a forest nearby and drove off.

I jumped out of my skin when I heard my mobile phone ring and answered it without thinking.

"Please come back, please" Paul pleaded. It sounded like he'd been crying.

"I can't" I said, closing my eyes for the briefest of seconds.

"Please, Bella" Paul sobbed.

"I'm sorry, I can't!" I was sobbing now, too. "I can't put you guys in more danger. What if something goes wrong and that wild female get's at anyone of you. I couldn't live with myself because it would be my entire fault. I'm so, so sorry."

"Bella, come back."

"I can't, Paul, I can't." I really regretted picking up the phone. "I'll be safe. I promise. I'm going to all the big, sunniest cities I can think of and only stay there for a week before moving onto the next one."

"Please, Bella, I can't live without you!"

Tell him! Tell him that you love him. NOW!

"Paul, I..." but before I could get the words out, a figure stepped in front of my car. I dropped the phone and stepped the brake as hard as possible. But I wasn't quick enough. The tires squealed in protest and rammed right into the figure. The figure went flying and so did me and the car. I rolled over and over, feeling the pain all over, and I could hear the glass shattering. Finally I stopped rolling.

"Bella? Bella!" Paul's voice was frantic but the phone was out of my reach.

I watched the figure on the ground and then the figure...got up!

"Oh no" I moaned. "Oh no, oh no, oh no."

I had rammed into a vampire. Just my luck. The vampire walk closer and closer to me and I could see his blood red eyes. And then...nothing. Just utter blackness took over.

**AN: Sorry it was so short. I wasn't sure what I should put in this chapter so I was just improvising but I guess my improvising ran out. Please review.**

**Thank you to:**

**Malachafire, baby mama in training, design2live, JacqBear, moonlightmama, Moonlit Lake Nightmare, iluvefromtwilight, darksoul93 and xoxo-latina for putting my story on your story alert**

**Thank you to:**

**Macklyn, ggghhhaaarrr67, iwantavampire, lissa dragamir, Moonlit Lake Nightmare, TheMajorsSwan and Scarletag14 for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**Thank you to:**

**Moonlit Lake Nightmare and xoxo-latina for putting me on your Author Alert**

**Thank you to:**

**Moon lit Lake Nightmare for putting me on your favourite Author list.**

**And for all those who reviewed:**

**Baby mama in training: I'm trying to but because I'm basing it on the twilight books I can't always use my own words. Hopefully as the story goes on I will be able to use more of my own words.**

**I'mANinjaPunk: I'm sorry, I don't understand. 'Poor Pual poor needs angermaniment puel?' I don't understand what you're saying.**

**Tabby1216: That's why I put the phone call in there**

**Seza3175: Thank you for all your reviews. They make me v. Happy**

**MandaRaeWhitlock: It gets crazier when you're the one writing it. So many thoughts zipping around your head and you've got to put them all into words. It gives you a headache sometimes.**

**Moonlit Lake Nightmare: Don't worry, you're not the only one =)**

**MigratingCoconutes06: =D to you too**

**Michael Black: updating as soon as possible**

**Xoxo-latina: Updating as soon as possible: D**

**Kathy Hiester: Glad you liked it**

**And thank you to all those who are reading 'Poisoned Love'.**

**Merry Christmas and a happy New Year**

**~Poison Ivey**

**P.S I just wanted to let you guys know that I'll be writing throughout Christmas for all those who read stories on Christmas Day and so on.**


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

I remember being in the ambulance. But somehow I couldn't wake up. Nothing seemed to work. I couldn't move anything, not my fingers, not my legs. But inside my head I had woken up. Inside I was wide awake.

I remember thinking in the ambulance _'Maybe I'm dead. Maybe this is what being dead really feels like.' _I've thought a lot about that ever since, and it doesn't worry me any more, not often anyway. I know I can't be dead because I'm in agony everywhere. I feel like I've been walked all over by a herd of elephants or something. I mean, you can't hurt if you're dead, can you?

I remember hearing an ambulance woman telling me that I wasn't to worry, that it wasn't far to the hospital. I remember her putting a mask over my mouth. When we got here, I felt the cold air on my face. The woman held my hand the whole time. She kept telling me that I was going to be okay, and I wanted to open my eyes and tell her that I was fine. But I couldn't, and I still can't.

I remember how I first came into this coma:

"_Please, Bella, I can't live without you!"_

_Tell him! Tell him that you love him. NOW!_

"_Paul, I..." but before I could get the words out, a figure stepped in front of my car. I dropped the phone and stepped the brake as hard as possible. But I wasn't quick enough. The tires squealed in protest and rammed right into the figure. The figure went flying and so did me and the car. I rolled over and over, feeling the pain all over, and I could hear the glass shattering. Finally I stopped rolling._

"_Bella? Bella!" Paul's voice was frantic but the phone was out of my reach._

_I watched the figure on the ground and then the figure...got up!_

"_Oh no" I moaned. "Oh no, oh no, oh no."_

_I had rammed into a vampire. Just my luck. The vampire walk closer and closer to me and I could see his blood red eyes. And then...nothing. Just utter blackness took over._

Charlie's here in the room with me now, with Paul. Ah Paul. God I miss him so much. I would give anything to be able to open my eyes and just see him. Even for just a second. I'd give anything, anything in the world, just to be able to open my eyes and see him again.

I can hear Charlie leaving now, telling Paul that he has to get to work. I didn't mind. I enjoyed it when I was alone with Paul. When we were alone, Paul would often talk to me, or when the pack was here, too. He didn't talk to me like he thought I could hear him, but just for his own comfort. Like he needed to believe that I could hear him. That annoyed me a lot. I wasn't dead, so why couldn't he stop treating me like I was dead.

I could hear the rest of the pack coming in now. I could hear Kim and Emily sobbing quietly while Sam and Jared tried to calm them down, though I could tell they were close to tears, too. Urgh, why couldn't I wake up and tell them I was going to be fine.

There are so many questions I want to ask them. I want to ask what all my tubes are for. I'm full of horrible tubes going into me and out of me. I want to ask about the pack. Were they okay? Has anyone imprinted? Had they caught Victoria?

And another thing. How long have I been lying here in this bed? The trouble is there's no night or day for me, no yesterday, no today, and no tomorrow; so it's difficult to know how long I've been here. I'm guessing it's about three days, maybe four. But I can't really be sure.

I doze a lot, but I never know for how long. I feel like dozing off right now. I'm so sleepy. When I wake up Paul will always be there. I don't think he ever leaves my side. The pack gives him stuff to eat but I don't think he eats it. When he's alone, he'll dump it into the bin next to my bed. When I wake up I gonna rip his throat out and yelling at him for damaging himself for a good half hour.

"Please wake up, Bella" a soft voice said into my ear. That would be Kim. She's always asking me that, but I can't. I just can't.

'I'm trying!' I wanted to scream, but my mouth wouldn't move to form the words.

My favourite CD was playing. Doctor Gregory told them that something familiar to me might wake me up. Like perfume or music or a book. Stuff like that. All I wanted to hear was Paul telling me that he loved me.

I hate the fact that I didn't get a chance to tell Paul on the phone that i loved him. Because know he might never know.

A Christmas song comes on now. 'All I want for Christmas is you' by Mariah Carey. She's a really good singer.

When the song come son, I realise with a jolt that it must be near Christmas now. It was 28th November when the accident happened. I had to wake up before Christmas. I couldn't ruin their Christmas. That wouldn't be right.

"Rnee is coming over on the next flight" Paul told me, making me jump inside. I hadn't expected him to speak. "And I'll be here all the time." Now he's crying. It was odd to hear him cry. It hurt like hell. Not physically, but emotionally. All I wanted to do was wipe away his tears and tell him that I was going to be okay. But i couldn't. "Please wake up, Bella, please."

I'm trying, Paul, believe me, I'm trying.

_We dwell on the past, while living the present  
But I admit, the past was unpleasant_

Renee's here. She comes most days now, almost never leaves, only to sleep, but never with Charlie. They don't do anything together any more, not since she moved out. She's reading to me. _Christmas Carols _by Charles Dickens. It used to be my favourite book when I was younger, but now it was just getting old. She keeps reading it to me over and over and over again. I could probably recite it from memory now.

Doctor Gregory is always saying it, to everyone who comes to visit me. He says anything could wake me up at any time- a voice I recognise, a book i know, a song i like, or some big surprise. He says everyone's got to try to find a way through me, and one of the best ways is by jogging my memory.

So Renee sits here reading _Christmas Carols. _I know it by heard, Renee, and it's not waking me up. Talk to me. I just want you to talk to me, like you used to. But she doesn't. She always says exactly the same thing when she first comes in to see me.

"Hello, Bells. You all right?" Silly question, Renee. The she gives me a kiss on the cheek, trying to hold back tears as she does so, sits down and starts to read.

_Full of ups and downs, less pleasure more pain  
We wished for the sun, but only got rain_

I was glad when I was alone with the pack. They seemed to understand that I didn't want to listen to music or read books, I just wanted to talk. And, well, they all did enough talking for both of us.

"When you wake up, we'll have a great, big, massive party. Just us" Emily said. She was trying to look on the bright side, but I could tell she was have a hard time. "I'll cook, and you can choose the music, and just us girls will go shopping. And we can make the boys carry the shopping bags in, hey? That would be a laugh, won't it?"

But by the end of her little speech, she was sobbing again. I was crying to. I remember when we last did that, me, her and Kim. We had a right old laugh as they boys moaned and groaned about how many bags we had brought home.

Soon Krissy and Izzy came to visit.

"Hey, Bella. My name is Krissy" Krissy said. 'I know' I wanted to tell her. "Paul's probably told you about me. Izzy is here, too. We want you to wake up, Bella. My brother looks like crap, believe me. And I know that he needs you. I can see the way he looks at you. Like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. Please, wake up."

"Hi, 'Ella" said a sweet, innocent voice at my ear and I instantly knew it was Izzy. "You wake up, soon?" Then to Krissy, she asked "Why 'Ella no wake up?"

"She will, Izzy, she will. When she's ready to, he will. She's just sleeping because she's tiered."

Krissy kissed my forehead lightly. "You need to wake up, Bella. Your family and friends need you.

And Izzy kisses me too. I've got a wet ear now.

"I made you a card" she said. "I put 'get well soon' on it in loads of glitter and I drew you and Uncle Pauly holding hands."

I heard someone stand the card up on my bed-side-table. I wanted to tell Izzy that it was beautiful, that I was really grateful for her time and effort put into it, but I couldn't.

_We both made mistakes, put pain in our hearts  
But here we are again, promising to never part_

Around dinner time, I think, everyone but Paul left. He just sat there, holding one of my hands in both of his. Oh, how badly I wanted to tell him that I loved him. And to hear him say those three words back.

I LOVE YOU! I screamed in my head, wishing that I could break through the shell that seemed to be wrapped around me.

"Come on, Bella" Paul whispered. "Wake up! I miss you so much. It's been three weeks. Surely that's long enough for you. Bella...I...I love you."

And that was all it took. Those three, simple, but powerful words broke through my shell.

_Counting our blessings and letting go of the past  
Starting all over and making it last_

I groaned, and twisted my head towards his voice. My eyes fluttered open and stared at his godlike features, drinking him in.

"Bella?" his angel like breathed. I memorized the way his lips moved, the way his eyes lit up when they saw that I was awake.

"Paul?" I croaked my voice barely above a whisper. "Oh, Paul, I'm so sorry!"

Then I went into a coughing fit.

"Bella!" he exclaimed. "Oh my god, you alive!"

I laughed, my voice filling the room and happy tears rolled down my cheeks. He was laughing too.

_Feelings and memories flow deep in my mind  
Of those days our love was genuine and kind_

Everyone came rushing into the room. Sam, Jared, Jacob, Embry, Quil, Emily and Kim. All of them.

"Bella" Kim exclaimed, rushing over, sobbing and Emily joined her and we were all hugging.

Then the boys came over and gave me a hug, even Sam who I didn't think was the hugging type.

"Bella!" said Emily, her voice strict and serious, but filled with joy "don't you ever run off like that ever again. Do you hear me? Or I will personally hunt you down."

"You don't have to tell me twice" I chuckled. Where's Charlie? And Renee?"

"I'll call them" said Embry.

The whole room seemed to be smiling. I looked out side. It looked like it had been raining, but now it was sunny. How ironic? It was just like a scene from a movie.

I turned to look at Paul and grinned. He grinned back, his dark, chocolate brown eyes alit with passionate love, more than I thought was ever possible. Everything was going to be alright.

_Holding you close, feeling your skin  
You look into my eyes and make my head spin  
Those feelings are back, but stronger than ever  
I know you're the one I wanna hold on to forever  
We both smile again, nothing's better than this  
Kissing you again was like our second first kiss._

- Giselle Simental –

**AN: Hope you liked it. I've never been in a coma, nor do I know someone who has- thank God- so I just guessed. I hope it was okay.**

**Thank you to:**

**Darkwinx for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**And for all those who managed to review:**

**Firefox Shai: this soon enough?**

**Jacob Black rulez: sorry, I didn't mean to do a cliffy. It just screamed at me 'ENDING'!**

**Merry Christmas and a happy New Year**

**~Poison Ivey**


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The next two weeks were hell. I had to go into rehab and just me, it hurt like hell. Because I hadn't used my muscles for ages, they hurt like hell. I didn't say anything, though, which surprised Doctor Gregory. He said that patients usually screamed insults at him. I was glad that Paul was there to help me through it, and I was still yet to tell him how I felt.

I was even gladder to be home again. Charlie had said that he was so sorry but he couldn't meet me at home because he had to go to work.

"What do you want to do?" Paul asked, settling down on the sofa next to me.

"Urm..." I said, trailing off. To tell you the truth, I hadn't the faintest idea.

"Do you wanna watch a movie?" Paul suggested and I nodded.

We ended up on watching a Horror Zombie movie called 'The Plague'. I hadn't seen it before and ended up curling into Paul's side, causing him to chuckle and wrap his arm around me.

When the credits came rolling in, I plucked up the courage and said "Paul, there is something that I have to tell you."

"Yes, Bella?" Paul said, looking down at me with curiosity written all over his face.

"Urm, you know when I was in a coma, and then I woke up?" I said, looking down at the floor. I suddenly lost my confidence and hesitated.

"Bella, you know you can tell me anything" Paul whispered soothingly, lifting face up with his finger so I was staring into his eyes.

I don't think I can tell him. I really just couldn't. What if he rejected me? So, instead of using words to tell him, I showed him with my eyes. I let my guard down and showed him my love for him with my eyes. Everyone had always said that my face was like an open book so let's test that theory.

Paul's eyes widened in shock, and I guess he got it. Slowly, as if waiting for me to react negatively, he brought his lips down to mine. His hands were soft on my face and warm lips were gentle, unexpectedly hesitant. It was brief, and very, very sweet.

I whimpered when he pulled away and pouted, causing him to chuckle. I laughed with him and curled into his side, breathing in his woody smell.

Suddenly, Paul's phone rang making me jump about a foot in the air and Paul burst out laughing again.

"Yes, Sam?" Paul asked into his phone. I didn't miss how happier he looked and sounded. Had I done that?

"We're on our way" Paul finished the phone call and snapped his phone shut.

"What was that all about?" I asked, playing absentmindedly with his fingers.

"Sam wants us to meet at his and Emily's house for a pack meeting. He said he had some news for us" Paul shrugged. I just nodded and followed him outside, holding his hand tightly in mine. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I'm half expecting Paul to leave me just like my ex vampire family did.

I was expecting us to go in my truck, but then I saw Paul's motorbike standing right next to it and froze.

"No way am I riding on that" I said, eyeing the machine with worry written all over my face.

Paul laughed and said "Don't worry; you'll be riding with me. I'll keep you safe."

I nodded slowly. I got gingerly onto the back and wrapped my arms securely around his waist. Now, that part I didn't mind.

"Fine, but if you go over 80, angry grizzle bears will look tamed after what will be waiting for you after I get off this bike" I warned him, half-joking, half-serious.

"No problem" Paul replied calmly, but I sensed he was holding in laughter. I rolled my eyes and rested my cheek on his bare back, screwing my eyes tight shut.

Thank god, the ride didn't last that long and we were soon at Sam and Emily's small house. By the time we had got there, though, everyone was already there.

"Took you long enough" Jared shouted from across the room.

"I can hear you just fine, Jared, there's no need to shout" I shot back.

I felt an intense gaze on me and turned to see Emily staring at our locked hands, her mouth hanging open in shocked delight.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so happy for you guys!" she squealed and all much lunched herself at us, pulling us both into a hug. I patted her back, unsure on how to react.

"What on earth are you talking about, Em?" Sam asked, looking just as confused as the rest of them.

"Bella and Paul are together. As in, together, together" Emily clarified, as if they wouldn't understand if she had just said one 'together'.

The boys jumped up and hugged us both, congratulating us.

"Okay, so why did you call us, Sam?" Paul demanded, as we finally broke away from the crowd. He settled down on the sofa, pulling me into his lap.

"Seth is close to shifting" Sam answered, seeming to pull himself together and going into Alpha mode again. "And, surprisingly, so is Leah."

"Leah?" everyone shouted at once, me not included.

"Why is it suck a shock that Leah's shifting?" i asked, confused more than anything.

"Well, she's a girl!" Embry exclaimed from his little corner.

"So?"

"Girls haven't shifted before, Bella" Sam explained. "Well, not that we know of anyway. There was only one legend about it."

"Are you really that surprised?" I said. "I mean, so many legends have just happened to be true. Surely it's not much of a shock anymore?"

"You know, Bella, I've been wondering the same thing as you" Kim laughed from her place on Jared's lap. I and Emily laughed along with her.

Out of the blue, Sam's phone started ringing making em jump about a foot int eh air again. Everyone laughed at me as Sam answered it and I very maturely pocked my tongue out at them.

"Oh our way" Sam said, snapping his phone shut just like Paul had. "Change of plan, Leah and Seth are shifting right now. We need to get over to the Clearwater's house right now."

"On it" the boys chorused, jumping up.

"I'm coming with you" I said, standing up with them.

"No, Bella, it's too dangerous" Paul said sternly, pushing my back down onto the sofa.

"Oh, come on, think about how Leah's feeling right now. You need a girl there" I tried to persuade them. I looked at Sam pleadingly. I really wanted to help Leah out for some unknown reason.

"As much as I'd hate to admit it, she's right, Paul" Sam sighed, giving up. "But don't worry, Paul, we'll keep her safe."

So here I was, at Sue, Leah and Seth Clearwater's house trying to calm down not one, but two werewolves down enough so they can phase back human. To tell you the truth, the boys weren't doing a very good job at calming Leah down at all.

"Alright, let me deal with Leah. You guys sought out Seth" I said, stepping forward.

"No, Bella, it's too dangerous" Paul repeated himself, stepping in front of me.

"Oh, bite me wolf-boy" I snapped, stepping neatly around him and walked determinedly towards Leah.

Leah turned her icy glare to me and growled. I flinched at the sharpness of her growl but carried on walked towards her.

"Listen to me, Leah; I ain't gonna lie to you and say I know what you're going through, because I don't. But I know that you need to calm down before you hurt someone" I said softly.

Leah whimpered and I understood.

"Don't listen to those morons, Leah" I said soothingly, shooting a glare in the direction of the boys. "They didn't even think that a girl could phase, so how on earth do they know that you can't have children? Boys are just idiots, every girl knows that."

Leah barked out a laugh and I plucked up enough courage to stroke her nuzzle briefly.

"Come on, Leah, let's get outside so you can phase. I have something you can change into" I said and she followed me outside.

I had chosen for her a short, red dress with straps for sleeves. It wasn't much, but it looked great on her.

"Thanks for that. I thought I'd never phase back" Leah smiled warmly at me and I returned it with the same amount of enthusiasm. "What's your name by the way, I never really caught it."

"Bella" I replied as we walked back inside. "And you're the one and only Leah."

"I sure am" she grinned.

We walked back in, laughing our heads off, to see Seth fully human and wearing cut-offs just like the others.

The pack seemed a little surprised to see me and Leah laughing together, so I assumed she wasn't that nice to them in her thoughts when they were trying to calm her down.

Just then I saw Jacob and Leah staring at each like, well, just like they were blind and finally seeing the sun for the first time. I giggled.

My giggling seemed to have brought Leah back to earth because she turned to look at me with a very dazed look.

"What...?" she said, trailing off. It was obvious that she didn't know about the imprint legend.

"All right" I said "girly night, you and me, and I'll explain everything. Boys, you are banned from my house. You're banned from setting a foot within a mile of my house and if you even dare, I'll unleash the storm on you guys."

And, with that, I pulled Leah towards her car leaving the boys dumbstruck. Hey, it's not every day I get to leave them like that, is it now?

**AN: Thank you for all your positive thoughts. I stuck so I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on what I should do in the next chapter. Thanks a bunch.**

**Thank you to:**

**Deedlez01, Peaceful Dragon Rose, J-bird456, Conflicted Soul and Princezz1 for putting my story on your story alert**

**Thank you to:**

**.great, Ilovepuckleberry, Twimore, Angelina32, BRITTINY WILLIAMS, Marie-pier and Songbreeze12 for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**Thank you to:**

**Twimore for putting me on your favourite author list**

**And for all of you who gave me fantastic reviews:**

**Jacob Black rulez: Okay, thanks for the brilliant advice. I'll bare that in mind when I write my chapters.**

**Jacob Black rulez: I know and I'm sorry about that. I tried to make it longer but I ran out of ideas to put in there.**

**Peaceful Dragon Rose: Thank you**

**Abby1216: I know. My Little second cousin wouldn't stop watching 'Sleeping Beauty' and the ending gave me an idea.**

**MiogratingCoconuts06: Aww, you don't have to review every chapter I put out. Good luck with your exam.**

**Baby mama in training: thanks. You know, a lot of people were saying they weren't expecting it...**

**Narely410: I can't wait to write it.**

**Sasssygirl191: On its way *gives a cheesy salute along with a cheesy grin*.**

**Xoxo-latina: Updating as fast as humanly possible.**

**Kathy Hiester: Glad you liked it.**

**Twimore: I'm glad. And don't worry about your English, it was really good.**

**Moonlit Lake Nightmare: Yeah, it was. I recently just watched the clip from vampire diaries. And, no, I ain't telling you who the vampire is, so you'll have to wait and see: P**

**: Yeah, that's where the idea came from. I was struggling with an idea on how to stop Bella from leaving and that scene just popped into my head.**

**Remember, review your thoughts on what should be in the next chapter.**

**Merry Christmas and a happy New Year**

**~Poison Ivey**


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

It was all set. Leah, Kim and Emily were all to come at seven o'clock to a strictly no boys allowed, girls night in. And we'd given the boys strict instructions that if they came anywhere near my house, they wouldn't be able to walk for a week.

I had insisted that I was the one to sort it all out but the girls insisted they bring at least a small thing with them. So we agreed that Leah was in charge in bringing makeup books and stuff like that, Emily was in charge of bringing cook-books seen as I didn't have any because I didn't need them and Kim was in charge of the music.

I made a list of everything that we were going to have

_Party menu:_

_Doritos and salsa dips_

_Take-away chips_

_Pizzas_

_Sausages_

_Chocolate bars,_

_Ice cream (assorted, loads)_

The girls and I all got changed at my house and we took ages on doing each other's nails.

_Leah- Royal red_

_Kim- Light blue_

_Emily- Emerald green_

_Me- Midnight blue_

We were all wearing our night clothes though we wouldn't be going to sleep for ages. I was wearing my black PJs that had only straps for sleeves and written, in silver glitter, _I'm a wolf girl now, get over it._ Emily was wearing red silk ones that clung to her in all the right places and showed off her endless legs. Kim was wearing bright pink ones that said _FASHION POLICE ACADEMY _and Leah was wearing the same as Kim. We all had a right old laugh when we found out.

I'd thought very carefully about what to do on the Big Night. I wanted everyone to have loads of fun with lots to do. I hate those boring parties where everyone stands around in cliques just talking and watching each other. My plan was: - a bit of dancing, a DVD to watch while we ate (Bridget Jones's Diary, Titanic and Pretty Women), then games and then Truth or Dare.

When everyone was ready, I put on my iPod and put it on shuffle. It came up with 'Girls just wanna ahve fun'. We were all going ballistic, jumping up and down like loons and then we collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily like we had just ran the marathon in record time.

Kim raced to her bag and pulled out a sack full of CDs. "Music for us girlies" she grinned. She put a CD in the player and soon we were all dancing away again to 'Survivor' by Destiny's Child, then we sang 'Single Ladies' so loudly that I thought we would hear the neighbours banging on my door any second now.

Then we got to my kitchen and began to bake. We made all sorts. Chocolate-dipped fruit, candied popcorn, toffee-on-a-stick, white chocolate rock road, coconut truffles and so much more. You name it, we made it.

"So what games shall we play?" asked Kim, as we all settled down with our snacks.

"Truth or Dare" I said, jumping up and grabbing an empty coke bottle. "Whoever spins the bottle has to set the forfeit, and whoever the bottle points at has to do it. The person who has just down the forfeit spins the bottle next."

Kim span the bottle and it landed on me. Just my luck. "All right, Bells, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare" I said confidently.

Kim thought for a minute, and then said "You have to snog Leah for two minutes straight."

I looked at Leah with a raised eyebrow. She nodded. We did it and, when we sat down, we heard a muffled "That was hot!"

All four of our heads jerked towards the window and saw the boys staring at us with their jaws scrapping the ground.

"Emily Kim and I will grab a baseball bat each, Leah, you're a werewolf, you can fight them off with your bare hands. Come on girls; let's go get 'em" I shouted.

"Charge!" Kim laughed and we attacked the boys who kept yelling "Ow!" and "That hurt!"

Soon they were running away with their tails between their legs and we were on the ground in hysterics.

"And don't say we didn't warn you" Emily shouted and we all ran back inside.

"Hey, a little birdie told me that Bella has been writing songs and has a gorgeous voice" Leah said.

"Who said that?" I said sharply, my eyes widening in shock.

"Angela. I met her yesterday at the beach with this guy called Ben and she said she'd heard you singing one time. So come one, sing for us" Leah said.

"Nah ah" I said. I had major stage fright and I don't think I could even sing in front of the girls.

"Come on, Bells, we won't laugh" Emily said. "Scouts honour."

"Urgh, fine" I said, throwing my hands up in the air when all three of them started stomping their feet and shouting _'Bella, Bella, Bella'_.

I closed my eyes and began to sing a song I made when I first got over Edward.

_I was a broken ship with ragged sails_

_Now clam waters beckon me_

_Lying out in warming sun, stretching, feeling free_

_Waiting for a new wind and a wave upon my bow_

_Wishing on a rainbow, following my star_

_Welcoming my new world, I'm gonna travel far_

_Floating in the slip-stream, just going with the flow_

_Booked a passage on tomorrow with no one else in tow_

_Floating in the slip-stream, just going with the flow_

_Yeah, now that sounds good to me_

I opened my eyes and the girls were screaming, applauding as loud as they could causing me to blush at least ten shades of red.

"Hey, you know what my perfect boy would be" Leah laughed, winking at me.

"What?" Emily asked.

"One who snogs for half an hour and then turns into a pizza" she grinned and we all burst out laughing.

"Whoa" I said, punching the air with my fist and the girls copied me. "Girls rule!"

Leah had a sudden dazed expression on her face and I was instantly worried.

"What's up Leah? Are you feeling all right?" I fretted.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I was just thinking about this morning. You know, when I faced. What was that all about?" she asked, looking at me. I suddenly remembered what she was talking about.

"That, my girl, is the feeling of imprinting" I said, smiling. "You imprinted on Jacob."

"What's imprinting?" Leah asked, looking more confused than ever. I sighed.

"Okay, bare with me, Jacob does this better than me" I said, taking a deep breath. "Imprinting is where a werewolf finds his or, in this case, her soul mate. The wolf will do anything for that person, be anything for them, and even give up their own life for them. And, if they accept the imprint, the wolf's imprint will do the same for the wolf."

"Are you telling me I don't have a choice? I will be in love with Jacob forever?" Leah said, sounding frustrated.

"Oh, no, no, you have a choice. You can ever accept the imprint, or you can ignore it" Emily smiled. "If you are going to ignore the imprint, though, I recommend being friends with your imprint or you'll just end up hurting the both of you."

"Is that what you and Sam did?" Leah whispered, looking down at the floor.

Emily winced slightly and whispered back "Yes."

Leah sighed and looked up. "I guess I have a lot of apologising to do when I get back to the wolves. I haven't been giving them the best of days lately."

"Good idea" I smiled. "And you guys can start fresh. After all, you have a little someone to talk to."

I winked at her and she blushed. We all laughed.

I swivelled around and pressed the play button. We started dancing like maniacs again and singing at the top of our voices to 'Love like this' by Amy Pearson.

**AN: Hope you liked this chapter. Thank you to 'ShamelesslyObsessed' for the idea of the boys crashing the girls' night,**

**Thank you to:**

**1577, Lynn2008, Ilovekayne09, Juliebooklover, Aglblsm, mEn TaLlY- bLoNdE- bRuNnEtTe, Ashleycullen, Kikiki.83 and WolfGirl115 for putting my story on your story alert**

**Thank you to:**

**Kmkm86, Somedayauegan, R3M3MB3R, You belong with me, Missidividual and Feebes86 for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**And for all those who reviewed:**

**Peaceful Dragon Rose: Thank you**

**Sonyabrady1971: Err; I wouldn't want to rule boys out completely. They do have their uses sometimes: D**

**Missidividual: Well, I just wanted to get that over and done with so Bella and Leah could be friends. That's all.**

**MigratingCoconuts06: I used to be a Sam/Bella ship ages ago but then I changed to a Paul/Bella ship. For then on I've been reading other people's stories about them and finally decided it's high time I wrote one myself.**

**Twimore: I can't wait either. I'm just waiting for the perfect moment to appear right in front of me.**

**Xoxo-latina: I'm glad.**

**Sassygirl191: Comin' right up.**

**Kathy Hiester: Thanks**

**ShamelesslyObsessed: Damn right she's fierce! She ran with vampires: D**

**Merry Christmas and a happy New Year**

**~Poison Ivey**


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"I have nothing to wear!" I moaned to myself.

Every item of clothing I owned was strewn across my bed; my drawers and closets were bare. I stared into the empty recesses, willing something suitable to appear.

My khaki skirt lay over the back of the rocking chair, waiting for me to discover something that went with it just exactly right. Something that would make me look beautiful and grown up; something that said _special occasion. _I was coming up empty.

It was almost time to go, and I was still wearing my favourite old sweats. Unless I could find something better here- and the odds weren't looking good at this point- I was going to graduate in them.

I scowled at the pile of clothes on my bed.

The kicker was that I knew exactly what I would have worn if it were still available- my kidnapped red blouse. I punched the wall angrily.

"Stupid, thieving, annoying vampire!" I growled.

"Glad to see you've joined our side, Bella" said a cheerful voice behind me.

I spun around to see Lean leaning casually beside the open window as if she had been there the whole time.

"Knock, knock" she added with a grin.

"What is it with mythical creatures and doors? Is it really so hard o wait for me to get the door?" I grumbled.

"Hello to you too, sunshine" Leah sang. She threw a flat, white box onto my bed. "I'm just passing through. I thought you might need something to wear."

I looked at the package lying on top of my unsatisfying wardrobe and smiled.

"Admit it" Leah said. "I'm a lifesaver."

"You're a lifesaver" I said, rolling my eyes. "Thanks Lele."

"Well, it's nice to get something right for a change" Leah sighed. "Are you going to open it?"

"Haven't you apologised to the boys yet, then?" I asked as I lifted off the box lid. "Wow, thanks Lele, this is gorgeous."

It was a blue dress that would go down to my knees and had no straps. There was a silk, lighter blue ribbon around the waist that ended in a bow at the back.

"You're welcome. And, no, I haven't" Leah said. "I was thinking of doing it after your graduation."

"Good idea" I agreed, slipping dress on. "That way you can do it with all the guys there."

_Thud, thud- _a fist hammered against my door causing to jump.

"Aren't you ready yet? We're gonna be late!" Charlie complained, sounding edgy. Charlie hated occasions about as much as I did. In his case, a lot of the problem was having to dress up.

"Almost. Just give me a minute" I called back, shoving Leah towards the window.

"Well, hurry up" Charlie grumbled and stomped down stairs.

"See yah later" Leah waved from the window and dropped out of sight.

I quickly comb my hair so it ran down my back in curls and rushed down stairs, grabbing my silver pumps on the way. Then I threw the ugly yellow polyester graduation robe over my arm and hurried to the hallway where Charlie was waiting.

"You look nice" Charlie said, already gruff with suppressed emotion. "Is that new?"

"Yeah" I replied, giving him a twirl. "Leah gave it to me. Thanks."

Paul arrived just a few minutes after Leah left. It wasn't enough time for me to get rid of my nervousness. But as soon as I saw Paul, I instantly calmed right down.

"Hey" I grinned, jumping into Paul's arms and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, more for Charlie's benefit than mine.

"Hey, beautiful" Paul whispered, then pulled away from me and turned to Charlie. "Hello Chief Swan, I'm Paul Long."

"Oh, go ahead and call me Charlie, lad, everyone does" Charlie grinned. I breathed a sigh of relief. At least Charlie had accepted Paul.

Charlie had gotten stubborn last week when he'd learned that I was intending to ride with Paul on his motorbike to the graduation ceremony. And I could see his point- parents should have some rights come graduation day. I'd conceded with good grace, and Paul had cheerfully suggested that we all go together. Since Charlie hadn't met Paul officially as my boyfriend, he agreed.

"Are you all right?" Paul whispered when he helped me from the front seat in the school parking lot.

"Yeah, I'm just little nervous" I answered.

"You are so beautiful" he said, and I blushed at least ten shades of red. Paul just chuckled.

He looked like he wanted to say more, but Charlie, in an obvious manoeuvre that he mean to be subtle, linked my arm in his and all but dragged to the school, pulling Paul along with him.

"Are you excited?" Charlie asked me.

"Not really" I admitted.

"Bella, this is a big deal. You're graduating from high school. It's the real world for you know. College. Living on your own...You're not my little girl anymore." Charlie chocked up a bit at the end.

"Dad" I moaned. "Please don't get all weepy on me."

"Who's weepy?" he growled. "Now, why aren't you excited?"

"I don't know, Dad. I guess it hasn't hit yet or something."

"It's good a good job that Emily and Sam are throwing this party. You need something to perk you up."

"Sure. A party's exactly what I need."

Charlie laughed at my tone and squeezed my shoulders. Paul grinned at me, looking like he couldn't take is eyes off of me. I winked at him.

My father and Paul had to leave us at the back door of the gym and go around to the main entrance with the rest of the parents and friends.

It was pandemonium as Ms. Cope from the front office and Mr Varner the math teacher tried to line everyone up alphabetically.

"Hey Bella!"

I looked up to see Angela waving at me from the back of the line with a smile on her face.

I walked down the line to take my place behind Jessica, but near Angela, who was five people back.

"How are you?" I asked her.

"Weird" she replied, pulling a face and I laughed. "I feel like screaming, but then I feel like crying."

"I know how you feel" I said, rolling my eyes. "It's been a hectic year."

"You're telling me!" she laughed.

"God, I'm gonna miss you" I sighed.

"Hell, same here. You'll email me though" Angela pleaded.

"Of course" I grinned, and meant it. Why should I become a vampire and loose all my friends? Bonkers!

I heard Mr Greene call my name and I rose from my chair, waiting for the line in front of me to move. I was conscious of cheering in the back of the gym, and I looked around to see Charlie, Billy, the girls and the pack hooting in encouragement. I waved and grinned back at them.

Mr Greene finished with the list of names, and then continued to hand out diplomas with a sheepish grin as we filed past.

"Congratulations, Miss Stanley" he mumbled as Jess too hers.

"Congratulations, Miss Swan" he mumbled to me, pressing the diploma into my hand.

"Thanks" I murmured.

And that was it.

I went to stand next to Jessica with the assembled graduates. Jess was all red around the eyes, and she kept blotting her face with the sleeve of her robe. It took me a second to understand that she was crying.

Mr Greene said something I didn't hear, but took the queue and threw my hat in the air along with everyone else, shouting and screaming along with them.

"Oh, Bella!" Jess blubbered over the sudden roar of conversation. She pulled me into a hug, shocking me. "I can't believe we're done."

"Neither can I" I laughed, glad to end on a good note with her.

She threw her arms around my neck again. "You have to promise we won't lose touch."

"I promise" I laughed, and glad to mean it.

I hugged her back. "I'm so glad I know you, Jessica. It was a good two years."

"It was" she sighed, and sniffed. Then she dropped her arms. "Lauren!" she squealed, waving over her head and pushing though the massed yellow gowns. Families and friends were beginning to converge pressing us tighter together.

I caught sight of Angela and Ben, but they were surrounded by their families. I would congratulate them later.

I craned my head, looking for Paul.

"Congratulations" someone whispered in my ear and I instantly recognised it as Paul. His arms wound around my waist.

"Thanks" I laughed.

"I see you're over the nerves" Sam said, grinning like an idiot and coming up to me with the others. He snatched me out of Paul's arms and spun me around and around.

"Whoa, we're did the touchy Sam come from?" I teased him as he set me back down.

"I honestly don't know" he admitted and turned to snog Emily's face off.

The rest of the guys took turns in hugging me or spinning around and around just like Sam had.

"God, anymore hugging and my lungs will be coming up my throat" I joked.

"Lovely thought, Bells, just lovely" Quil rolled his eyes.

"Hello Bella" said gruff voice and I saw Billy wheel up from behind the guys.

"Hey Billy!" I exclaimed, pulling him into a hug as well.

"I'm glad you've changed" he whispered in my ear and I smiled.

"So am I, Billy, so am I" I whispered back.

"Bella!" Charlie crowed, pushing his way past the close-packed families around us.

"Congratulations, baby!" He was still yelling, even though he was right at my ear now and everyone laughed. He wrapped his arms around me.

"Thanks" I said, before wriggling out of Charlie's arms and slunk back into Paul's with a cheeky grin on my face. Charlie rolled his eyes.

"Oh, I get it, you two are irrespirable" he said.

"Yep" I replied, giving him the cheesiest grin I could muster and Paul copied me, making us look like right old loons. Everyone laughed again.

"Smile" Emily said and I and Paul grinned into the camera.

"Come on, let's get back to home and we can throw the party" Embry.

"Did I hear him say parta? Everybody, let's parta!" Quil shouted, throwing his fist in the air.

I took a ride on Paul's motorbike and everyone else went in their cars so we were there in no time. Of course, we could have been there quicker if we went by wolf but Paul said he didn't want to ruin my new dress.

When we _did _get there, it was like stepping out of reality and into a fantasy.

The black velvet darkness was interrupted ahead, just where Emily and Sam's drive should be. Someone had wrapped the house in thousands of twinkle lights, impossible to miss.

"Wow" I breathed.

The house wasn't he only thing that was lit up. Every twenty feet or so, another shining beacon guided us toward the small house. All the way.

"Wow" I repeated as Paul led me inside. The interior of their house had been transformed into a nightclub- the kind that didn't often exist in real life, only on TV.

"Bloody hell, Emily" I said, laughing.

"I know" she grinned. "It's brilliant, isn't it? Even if I do say so myself."

"Let's get this party started" Jake shouted and turned on the music so loud that it was blaring out of the speakers.

"I think I'm underdressed" I said to Paul normal, knowing that he would hear me.

"You're perfect" Paul disagreed, pulling me in for a kiss.

"Oh, come on, get dancing you!" Jared yelled, who was pulling Kim onto the dance floor. Kim turned bright red but happily danced with her wolf.

"Come on" I grinned, pulling him towards the dance floor.

"Nah ah" Paul disagreed. "I don't dance."

"Neither do I. Come on" I said and managed to yank him onto the dance floor before jumping up and down like a maniac like everyone else. Paul grudgingly joined in and, in no time at all, he was really enjoying himself.

"I think it's time for the karaoke" Emily called over the music. "Now, who wants to go first?"

"I will" Jared shouted, jumping up towards the mike as everyone sat down. He started singing to 'Who let the dogs out' making everyone laugh.

"Okay, its official, that is the pack's new national anthem" Leah grinned as the other boys, not including Sam, starting barking. Sam just stood there, shaking his head, but having a hard time hiding his amusement.

"Come on, Bella, you're turn next" Kim shouted to me, winking.

"No" I replied, shaking my head. "Oh, no. I only did it that night just for you girls. I ain't doing it in front of the guys as well."

They all started chanting 'Bella' and in the end I gave him. I chose my song and began to sing to 'Love like this' by Amy Pearson.

At the end, everyone cheered and clapped like mad making me blush. I looked around me, smiling. Yeah, this is defiantly my family.

**AN: Phew, another chapter over and done with. I hope you liked it.**

**Thank you to:**

**Your-one-and-only for putting my story on your story alert**

**Thank you to:**

**Niamh D for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**And for all of you who managed to review:**

**Your-one-and-only: LOL! But I wouldn't want to rule boys out completely. They do have their uses. As I've said before, the best boy would be one who snogs for half an hour and then turns into a pizza.**

**Moonlit Lake Nightmare: Yeah, I agree. They would make the perfect couple. Alex is so hot *dreamy eyes*. And don't worry, Alice won't be annoying.**

**Peaceful Dragon Rose: Thanks**

**Merry Christmas and a happy New Year**

**~Poison Ivey**


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Today I was going Christmas shopping but, to tell you the truth, I hadn't the faintest idea on what to get everyone.

I was going to get Charlie some new fishing gear which he was going to have fun reading the instructions. I could just picture him in the floor with the equipment spread out around him and reading the instructions, cursing under his breath.

I went into the jewellery store and had a quick look around. I decided to get Paul a string bracelet that said _per sempre il mio amore_ which basically meant _forever my love _in Italian. Yeah, it was cheesy, but it would do. I got the rest of the boys the same thing only it said something different on it.

_Per sempre il mio piccolo fratello _for Seth which meant _forever my little bro._

_Per sempre il mio fratello grande_ for the others other than Sam which meant _forever my big bro._

_Per sempre il mio babbo _for Sam which meant forever my dad. Yeah, it's weird, but I see him as a dad.

After I was done I went home and finished up a painting I was doing. I had done one each for Leah, Kim and Emily. Each of them had a big picture of all the wolves together and then one smaller one of their lovers. I really hoped they liked them.

I had finally done _that _I trudged down stairs and decided to watch a movie. I really, really, really wanted to see Paul again, but he was patrolling. That was the reason I went shopping to take my mind of the new ache in my chest. The ache that only appeared when Paul wasn't here.

The phone started to ring and ran to it, hoping against hope that it was Paul ringing me to tell me he was on his way to me now. No such luck.

"Hello" I said breathlessly into the phone.

"Hello is this Miss Swan speaking?" a calm female voice asked me.

"Yes it is, may I ask who's speaking" I said.

"This is Forks Hospital. I am afraid to tell you that your father has been injured while at work and is in surgery."

"Oh no" I whispered, my voice cracking as I fought back tears. "Is he going to be okay?"

"We are unable to tell right now. Can you please come to the hospital" the woman replied.

"On my way" I said and ended the call before rushing towards the door. I ran to my new car- Paul got it for me because my other one was damaged beyond repair and the other one was missing- and went as fast as I could towards the hospital.

"Hi" I said to the receptionist. "I'm looking for Charlie Swan?"

"He's just in surgery now" said the woman, smiling kindly, but sadly.

"Thank you" I whispered and sat down on one of the seats. Then the flood gates open and I sobbed restlessly for about an hour before my eyes had no more tears left to cry.

My phone vibrated in my pocket and I answered, my voice cracking. "Hello?"

"Bella? Where the fuck are you?" Paul's voice demanded.

"I'm at the hospital" I choked out.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" he asked urgently. "I'm on my way."

I could hear his motorbike growl into life quietly in the background as he spoke.

"I'm fine Paul" I said, and I heard him sigh in relief. "It's Charlie, Paul, Charlie's hurt and he's in surgery."

There was a pause and then he said "I'll be there in five minutes."

And then he hung up and I was left to my misery once again.

"Miss Swan?" the receptionist called over to me. "You're allowed to visit him now, though he's still asleep, but he should wake up in about fifteen to twenty minutes. He's in room 54."

"Thank you" I said, then hesitated. "If some guys come in here saying they're here to see him, can you let them through?"

"Of course, dear" the receptionist smiled kindly.

"Thank you" I repeated to her and rushed to room 54.

There, under the white hospital sheets, was my father, lying there and looking like he was dead, but the monitors proved to me that he wasn't. They were beeping merrily at me like nothing was wrong.

"Bella?" a voice behind me said and I turned to see Paul standing there.

"Paul" I sighed and he crossed the room in one stride. He pulled me into his arms and kissed me tenderly. The kiss me I felt like he was trying to make me that everything was going to be alright, and trying to believe that everything was going to be okay himself.

Then he pulled me into his lap as he sat down in a spindle wooden chair right next to Charlie's bed.

"Hey Bella" came Billy's gruff voice from the doorway about three very long minutes later. "How is he doing?"

"I don't know" I choked out, still staring at my father's unmoving body. "He still hasn't woken up yet."

"Give his body time to heal itself" Jacob tried to sooth me, pushing his father into the room and sitting down next to him.

Next, the doctor came into the room with a grim expression on his face and I jumped off Paul's lap, my face full of terror.

"Is everything okay, doc?" Jacob asked worriedly.

"I have some good news; and some bad news" the doctor sighed.

"Please don't play games with me doc, this is too scary for that" I whispered and the doctor nodded.

"The good news is that your father's body is mending itself beautifully" the doctor said, examining the charts. I had a feeling he was doing this so he didn't ahve to look into our eyes when he told us the bad news. "The bad news, I'm afraid, is that your father has cancer."

I crumpled into Paul's lap again, my expression frozen in whatever expression had been on there before the shock took over my body. Underneath me, Paul was frozen like a rock. My eyes flickered towards Billy who had tears in his eyes and toward Jacob, who was frozen just like Paul was.

"Is there treatment?" Paul asked quietly, pulling my shacking body towards him.

"I'm afraid not" the doctor replied sadly. "The cancer has been inside him for too long."

"How long till he...?" I couldn't finished the sentence. This just wasn't happening. It just wasn't real.

"He has about three weeks, maybe four; five giving it a push. It all depends on the person."

I nodded dumbly, leaning against Paul for support. It was like the life had been drained out of me and so much despair that not even tears to could wash away. But I would be strong, for Charlie. He didn't need me breaking down at his time in need. That wouldn't help anything at all.

"Bella?" Charlie groaned, waking up.

"I'm here, daddy" I whispered, moving closing towards him and plastering a smile on my face.

"What's wrong?" he asked, suddenly sharp. Damn it.

"I don't know how to put it..."I trailed off, tears forming in my eyes which I blinked back.

"How about straight?" Charlie chuckled. I turned away into Paul's chest. Thankfully, Billy carried on for me.

"I'm sorry, Charlie, but you have cancer" Billy said quietly, his voice cracking slightly. This wasn't the strong, invincible Billy I knew so well. This is the Billy I knew was deep down, the Billy who carried about his friends and family.

Charlie was silent and I think he went into shock, but I didn't dare turn around to check.

"Well, I always knew it would happen in the end" Charlie muttered.

I turned to look at him and saw that he didn't seem to care. I just _had _to roll my eyes at that.

"Well, have long have I got?" Charlie sighed, looking at me.

"Three to five weeks" I whispered in reply so my voice wouldn't crack. "The doctor said it's most likely four weeks because five is a bit of a push."

"Are you okay?" he asked me worriedly and I let out a strangled laugh.

"You the one in the hospital bed with cancer and you're asking me if I'm okay." I stated. "Still the same old Charlie."

I sighed and looked at the ground. God, I don't know what I would do without the strongest man I ever knew. This just didn't seem real. It just couldn't be.

**MUST READ AN**

**AN: I was just wondering whether or not I should bring the Cullens back into the story. I'm planning on doing a vote. Those who want them in my story can you review 'YES' and those who don't review 'NO'. THANK YOU!**

**It's a bit aghast-y but I promise it will get better in about five chapters on.**

**Thank you to:**

**SoundsLikeAPersonalProblem, BeckyBoo12221, Birdie31293, MilitaryGirl124, Lilsterz, Anastasiac, Bloomsky and Serenityalexis for putting my story on your story alert.**

**Thank you to:**

**SoundsLikeAPersonalProblem, Karebears1981, AliceCarlisleFan, BeckyBoo12221, Ccampbell542588, Lilsterz, Tianna Silver, Anastasiac and KisssaCullen for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**Thank you to:**

**BeckyBoo12221 for putting me on your Author Alert and putting me on your favourite author list**

**And for all those who reviewed:**

**Jacob Black rulez: thanks lol**

**AliceCarlisleFan: Updating as fast as humanly possible**

**Your-one-and-only: That's what I have been debating. Should I bring them back or not? If I do, I'll problem put Edward down as helping Vicky or disappearing off to Africa never to return. There is no way in hell am I letting him near my girl. What do you think? Should I bring them back or not?**

**MigratingCoconuts06: Yeah, so am I. But I'm a massive fan of Bella/Paul and Bella/Seth. They get my votes: D**

**Twimore: Merry Christmas to you too. Three days left till Christmas day for me.**

**Baby mama in training: Thanks. I felt that in the book Bella's graduation wasn't that good because of her figuring out that the newborn army was after her so I decided to change it a little.**

**Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all who read this story**

**~Poison Ivey**

**P.S Please don't hate me for killing Charlie. You'll see why I did it later on in the story**


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

I spent most of my days at the hospital whenever I could and Paul always tagged along, but usually falling asleep. Did I mention he looked so damn cute when he was asleep?

I turned to look at Paul whose head was in my lap and fast asleep. I studied his dreaming face, and liked what I saw. While he slept, every trace of defensiveness and bitterness disappeared and suddenly he was the vulnerable little boy I knew was down there inside of him. He looked so much younger.

"Like something you see?" he mumbled, his eyes flashing open quicker than I could blink.

I blushed deeply but replied "Yeah, those flowers over there look really pretty, don't they?" while gesturing towards the blue flowers in the corner.

He looked shocked for a moment, taking in my words, before smirking. "Oh, very funny."

"I thought so" I grinned before looking at Charlie worriedly. He was beginning to get weaker and weaker every day and he seemed to be sleeping more and more.

"Hey" Paul breathed, sitting up and pulling me into his lap, pressing me closer to him "it's going to be alright, eventually."

"No it won't" I mumbled against his chest, the tears coming hot and fast. "You don't know that."

Paul chuckled and said quietly "Actually, I did."

I jerked out of his grip and stared at him incredulously. "You do?"

"Oh, yes" he said conversationally, the small smile still plastered all over his face. "My mother day three years ago, a month after my father left her. She committed suicide because she loved the arrogant prick too much."

I stared at him, my mouth open wide, the tears stopping in shock. "I'm sorry" I stuttered out finally. "I didn't know."

He shrugged. "It was years ago now."

"But it still hurts" I whispered, looking him straight in the eye. It was his turn to be shocked. I kissed him tenderly, trying to make him feel happy again. It worked. He smiled slightly against my lips.

I wouldn't let him know how I was really feeling, though. I felt horrible. Like my whole world was crashing around me. My dad was dying and there was nothing I could do but sit there and watch him suffer. He very rarely complained but I knew that the morphine barely took the edge off the pain. I could sort of feel it myself, though I hadn't the faintest idea why.

Suddenly, the heart monitors went crazy and Charlie seemed to be having some sort of fit.

I barely heard Paul shouting for a nurse. All I could do was stare at my father's body.

"Can you step outside, please" said one of the nurses as about five of them bustled past me.

I was aware of Paul pulling me outside.

"NO!" I shouted, struggling. "NO! I WON'T LEAVE HIM!"

I still struggled as Paul pulled me out of the room. In the end, I gave up struggling against his super-human strength and broke down in tears as he held me, rocking me back and forth, whispering should-be comforting words in my ear.

"Time of death, 10:45pm" said one of the nurses. Then she walked out of the door and turned to me. "I'm so sorry for your lose, but your father died of a seizure. You are welcome to go in and say goodbye."

I slowly walked into the room, never taking my eyes of my father's dead body and knelt down beside his head. I gently pulled his body to me and cried, my tears splashing on his face.

And then the weirdest sensation came over me.

There was a slightly tingling in my feet. Then, slowly, it travelled up my body to my fingertips. One of my hands was on Charlie's chest, and the other, on his head. The tingling warmth continued for several minutes before I heard a voice rasp out:

"Bella?"

**IMPORTANT NOTICE**

**AN: I'm sorry, but the Cullen's won't be returning in this story. Once I have finished this story, and this story in Paul's pov, I will write another story of Paul imprinting on Bella and the Cullens will return.**

**Thank you to:**

**Elizabeth Buff, Tigge5600, x-X-x-Donna-x-X-x, C2koos and Narygaaralover for putting my story on your story alert**

**Thank you to:**

**Angel4EverLostInLife, Roland Chick, Twilighttobessed804 and Zoe123 for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**And for all those who reviewed:**

**Moonlit Lake Nightmare: Sorry I didn't reply to you in the last chapter. My email was bonkers. I agree with you. I love that "I choose fur over Burrr!"**

**Feebes86: Sorry I didn't reply to you in the last chapter. My email was bonkers. Thank you.**

**Vampgirl4ever1994: I'm sorry if I disappointed you. I'll let you know when that story is up.**

**Tigger5600: I hope I didn't disappoint you...**

**Jacob Black rulez: I wonder if this is even more of a shocker.**

**Should the Cullens come back: I'm so sorry. I let you know in my last story on when the story with the Cullens is coming out, the summary and the title.**

**Your-one-and-only: I'm sorry if I disappointed you. I'll let you know when the story is out.**

**Baby mama in training: Sorry if it was too aghast-y.**

**AliceCarlisleFan: Updating as fast as possible.**

**: I so, so sorry. I'll let you know when the other story is coming out though.**

**Tabby1216: Thank you so much for your support. It means the world to me.**

**MingaMae: Sorry about the cliffies. I'll try and limit them.**

**Twimore: Um, is it 'l'amo per sempre il mio amore'?**

**Kathy Hiester: Thank you**

**Juliebooklover: I'm glad.**

**FredsForeverFanGirl: I'll let you know when the other story is up just in case.**

**VampireEva: There you go. I did the last bit just for you: D**

**Sassygirl1999: On its way.**

**Merry Christmas and a happy New Year**

**~Poison Ivey**


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Paul was being way to damn overprotective! He kept worrying that maybe the cancer had been passed to me, or that I'd swapped death and life around and that I was destine to die early now and stuff like that. It was getting so bloody annoying. In the end, I dragged him to Sam and Emily's house where we were meeting the rest of the pack and the elders.

"So let me get this straight" said Jacob for the hundredth time this meeting "you cured Charlie of cancer?"

"Yes!" I almost shouted, my voice rising a little. "Yes, I bloody cured him. Get the fuck over it!"

"How is that possible?" Sue Clearwater asked. Judging by the way the elders and the pack talked to her, it seemed that she had taken over Harry's place.

"Well, there is one legend" Billy said slowly.

"Please explain" said Sam. Yes, please do.

"Well, there was a thought that the third wife was not entirely human. Rumours were going around that she was part witch."

There was a long pause.

"Even if that was true" I said finally "there is no way I'm a descendent. I don't have any Quilteuten blood running in me."

"Are you sure?" Old Quil asked me carefully, examining my expression.

I was about to say yes when something stopped me.

"No" I whispered, my eyes stuck on a tile on the wall, but not really seeing it. "I remember...a fight my parents got into when they were together...I think. I'm not sure. I think my Mum was pregnant with me before she even met dad."

I looked up at Billy who nodded.

"Yes, I've had that suspicion as well" he agreed. "They did rush the wedding. They got married four weeks after they met."

"Which means" I said slowly "someone in La Push is my father, and not Charlie."

There was another long pause.

Leah came up to me and pulled me into a long hug- good old Leah, always knowing what I was feeling without have to ask- and Kim and Emily joined in, too. I had to laugh when the boys all joined in mockingly and the elders laughed, too. We must be a sight to see.

"Alright" I said once everyone had pulled away "if I inherited some of the third wife's 'powers' then what exactly is it that I can do?"

"Well, it seems that you have healing powers" Billy mused. No shit, captain obvious. "And I'm pretty sure you'll have some control over the five elements of nature. Of course, you won't have too much of the power that the third wife had so you should be pretty much completely human."

"So ninety-nine percent human, one percent witch?" I guessed.

"That sounds just about right" Sue agreed.

"Okay" I dragged out. "Well, I don't know about anyone else but I feel like going to the beach."

There was a chorus of 'hell yeah' and a 'fuck yeah' from Paul who got a smack from me and Emily.

When we got to the beach, me, Emily, Leah and Kim got changed into our spare bikinis which we always kept in my truck just in case. Always we prepared.

"Race you to the water" Jake shouted and the boys all ran off, laughing their heads off. I and the others laughed at them, shaking our heads.

"They're so childish" Emily grinned.

"Which makes them adorable" Kim put in.

"And incredibly sexy" Leah added.

"Which is why we love them so much" I finished.

"Thanks babe!" Paul shouted just loud enough for us to hear and we all laughed again. Damn, retched werewolf hearing.

"Come on!" Kim shouted and we raced to the water's edge.

"Ah, Jesus, it's cold!" I exclaimed as we waded out towards our men.

"Damn right it is" Kim gasped, shivering slightly.

"It's not" Leah rolled her eyes. "Stop being wimps."

"Well, we don't have werewolf heat, do we?" Emily shot back.

"Argh!" I screamed when Paul leaped at me, pulling me underwater. He held me there for about five seconds before pulling me back to the surface. I gulped in fresh air gladly and then glared at Paul menacingly.

"Uh-oh, someone's in trouble" Jared sang.

I pounced on Paul, dragging him under before swimming to the surface again to see everyone laughing their asses off.

"What?" I asked dryly.

"You took down a werewolf" Embry burst out. "Paul of all people!"

"Oh bite me" I snapped.

"Nah, that's for your vamps to do."

Paul growled.

"If I throw a stick will you go fetch" I said calmly. Embry looked a little taken aback.

"Whoa, you go wolf-girl!" Quil exclaimed and Embry tackled him into the water.

"Come on" Paul chuckled, seeming over his anger "let's go cliff-diving."

"Oh, there's a lovely thought" I said sarcastically, remembering the last time I was on that cliff. Everyone started to laugh at me again. What was it with everyone and laughing at me today? Was it 'pick on Bella day' or something weird like that?

"Don't worry, we'll keep you girls safe" Seth grinned.

My relationship with Seth had improved greatly. I felt like he was my little brother even though he was, like, double my size. And he looked out for me.

So, here we were, on top o the cliff.

"Race you to the bottom!" Seth shouted and he, Embry, Jacob and Quil jumped off. Sam wrapped his arm securely around Emily's waist and they both jumped off quickly followed by Jared and Kim.

"Come on" Paul grinned and grabbed me. We both jumped off the cliff together and I laughed at the thrill of it all.

We did this a couple of times before we headed home- more to the fact that the guys were complaining that they were so hungry they could eat an elephant more than anything.

I just hope that we could find Victoria soon. I couldn't lose another family, because I don't think I could take it.

**AN: MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!**

**Thank you to:**

**Bloom45012, Mmrzz01, Buckbeak Ate My Wand **(I love that name), **Nutmeg195, Xiki16, Teddymonsterbear, ZoeyAndStarkForever, Wmiriah and XxTopaz-TearsxX for putting my story on your story alert**

**Favourite Story:**

**Bloom45012, Maggiemay7591, Mmrzzol, Buckbeak Ate My Wand, Blonde Angel221, Dominatus, Silence1111 and XxTopaz-TearsxX for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**And for all of those who reviewed:**

**Gabriella.: LOL I'm glad you think so**

**Buckbeak Ate My Wand: I'm glad you liked it. By the way, I LOVE YOUR NAME! It's so cool and I don't know why, it just is: DDDD**

**Jacob Black rulez: YAY**

**Twimore: Sort of. She's got witch blood in her to give her some powers but she isn't that strong. I'm trying to keep her as human as possible but someone wanted Charlie to come back to life- can't remember who- and so I just randomly came up with that idea.**

**WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW: You know, I think to myself at the beginning of the chapter 'I'm not going to put a cliffy in this chapter' and, heypresto, I put a cliff in the chapter. Isn't that weird?**

**Baby mama in training: Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.**

**Your-one-and-only: Thank you so much for your support. It means the world to me:-DDDDDDDDDDDDD**

**VampireEva: Aww, I love you too.**

**Tabby1216: I really am sorry, but loads of people voted no and I have to go with the majority.**

**Peaceful Dragon Rose: Thank you**

**Tiger5600: Oh, I don't know lo! Use your imagination. I'm just the improviser.**

**AliceCarlisleFan: DDDDDDDDDDD**

**Seashell25: OMG I'M DON'T KNOW. I'M JUST THE IMPROVISER.**

**Fallunder: I'm glad.**

**MingaMae: I'm glad I have that effect on my readers. It's a good sign.**

**Feebes86: to tell you the truth, I don't know.**

**Kathy Hiester: Happy holidays to you too.**

**MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR**

**~ Poison Ivey**


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"The attacks are getting worse" said Sam, throwing the paper on the table that we were sitting around.

"How so?" Leah asked.

"The attacks are increasing in numbers and becoming more and more frequent."

My eyes narrowed. "Are you sure vampires are doing this?"

"Positive. The victims are always drained of blood and have two puncture marks on their neck" Sam said.

"So, we have killings in Seattle and we have Bella's annoying thief" Kim muttered.

When she said the words that way- putting the two situations together in one sentence- right then it clicked. The elusive something that had been bothering me for days, the important connection that I couldn't quite put together, suddenly became clear. I stared at Kim, my face frozen with whatever expression was already in place.

"What's wrong, babe" Paul asked, concerned. He tugged little on my arms that were wound tightly around chest, but gave up when my arms didn't more.

"Shit" I breathed.

"What?" various voices asked, but I couldn't concentrate on who said it. I just wasn't listening.

"It's the same" I whispered to myself.

"What?" Sam asked sharply.

"What do you mean, Bella?" Paul asked me, kneeling down so his face was level with mine.

"Don't you see?" I exclaimed, jumping up and pacing in a very Charlie-like manner whenever he discovered something he'd been working on for a while. "It's the same."

"Bella, you're going to have to explain" Emily said.

"The one who broke in and stole my things" I exclaimed, speaking so fast I would put vampires to shame "and the new vampires in Seattle. They're together!"

Everyone in the room went silent.

"Why do you think that?" Sam demanded, in Alpha mode.

"Remember what you said. About the timing being too perfect- how careful my thief was to make no contact, as if he knew that you guys would know who or what had done it. I think you were right. I think he did know. I think he was using the holes in your portals, too. And what are the odds that two different people not only know enough about newborn armies, but also decided to do it at exactly the same time? No way. It's one person. The one who is making the newborn army is the one who stole my scent."

They all stared at me in shock. I was breathing heavily.

"You're right" Leah said in a hollow tone. "Of course, you're right. And when you put it that way..."

"Embry and Jared got it wrong" I whispered, still pacing. "It was a test...to see if it would work. If he could get in and out safely as long as he didn't do anything you guys would know about. Like trying to kill me for instance...and he didn't take my things to prove he had found me. He stole my scent...so that others could find me."

Everyone's eyes were wife with shock. I was right, and I could see that they knew it, too.

"Oh, no" Emily whispered.

I was through expecting my emotions to make sense anymore. As I processed the fact that someone had created an army of vampires- the army that had gruesomely murdered dozens of people in Seattle- for the express purpose of destroying me, I felt a spasm of relief.

Part of it was finally solving that irritating feeling that I was missing something vital.

But the larger part was something else entirely.

"Well" I whispered "everyone can relax. Nobody's trying to exterminate the pack after all.

"If you think that one thing has changed, you're absolutely wrong" Seth said. "If someone wants one of us, they're going to have to go through the rest of us to get to her."

"Thanks, Seth. But at least we know what they are really after. That has to help."

"Maybe" Sam muttered. He started pacing back and forth just like I had just before.

Paul dragged me back to the table and sat me down on his lap, wrapping a very protective arm around me. I realised then that he was shaking violently.

I twisted in his lap so i was facing him and said as soothingly as I could "Paul, you need to calm down."

I squeezed his eyes tight shut, taking deep breaths so that the shaking slowed down slightly. I gave him a quick kiss.

"Well, that means we're going to change our patrolling so that at least one of us is running around your house" Sam concluded.

"Oh, no, nah-ah, no way" I said. "It's pouring down with rain outside. That's ridiculous!"

"It's only ridiculous to you, Bella" Jacob put in, rolling his eyes.

I opened my mouth you argue back but before I could, Leah said "Just drop it, Bella. Nothing you can say will change my mind."

"Urgh, fine!" I almost shouted, and folded my arms tightly across my chest, glowering at the floor lie it was its fault.

"We'll practise fighting tonight" Sam said.

"Come on, let's get you home" Paul said finally after a long period of silence.

When he got me home, he whispered "Wait for me in your room" and jogged over into some bushes.

"Alright" I muttered. "See you upstairs."

I tiptoed in the front door. Charlie was asleep in the living room, overflowing the too-small sofa, and snoring so loudly I could have ripped a chainsaw to life and it wouldn't have wakened him.

I shook his shoulder vigorously.

"Dad! Charlie!"

He grumbled, eyes still closed.

"I'm home now- you're going to hurt your back sleeping like that. Come on, time to more."

It took a few more shakes, and his eyes never did open all the way, but I managed to get him off the couch. I helped him up to his bed, where he collapsed on top of the covers, fully dressed, and started snoring again.

He wasn't going to be looking for me anytime soon.

Paul waiting for me when I got into my bedroom.

My nerves felt frayed and exposed. I didn't know how much longer I could restrain the urge to scream out loud.

I whispered now, to keep my voice under control. "You are taking me with you tonight."

Paul frowned. "Bella, you're worn out."

"You think I could sleep?"

His frown depend. "This is too dangerous. We might lose control. I don't want you in the middle of this.

As if that didn't make me all the more anxious to go. "If you won't take me, then I'll call Jacob."

His eyes tightened. That was low blow, and I knew it. Paul had somehow got into his head that I and Jacob were in love. Hah! As if. But there was no way I was being left behind.

Paul waited in my room while I washed my face and changed into jeans and a flannel shirt. He watched me unhappily from the rocking chair- where Edward once sat.

"Come here" I said, taking his hand and pulling him to my bed.

I pushed him down on the bed and then curled up against his chest. Maybe he was right and I was tried enough to sleep. I wasn't going to let him sneak off without me.

Paul sighed and rubbed soothing circles on my stomach before moving to my thigh and to my back before repeating the motion. I moaned at the delicious feeling.

"You like that" he whispered in my ear causing me to shiver.

"Y-yeah" I breathed, then sighed.

Paul could tell I was about to lose it. "Listen to me, Bella. This is going to be easy. The newborns will be completely taken my surprise. They will have no idea that we werewolves even exist than you did before. And with them divided and confused, there won't be enough for the rest of us to do. Someone may have to sit out" he teased.

"Piece of cake" I mumbled tonelessly against his chest.

"Shh" he stroked my cheek, "You'll see. Don't worry now."

No matter how comforting his words and voice was supposed to be, it didn't calm me down.

People I loved were going to get hurt. Hurt because of me. Again. I wished my bed luck would focus a little more carefully. I felt like yelling up at the empty sky: _It's me you want-over here! Just me!_

I tried to think of a way that I could do exactly that- force my bad luck to focus on me. It wouldn't be easy. I would have to wait, bide my time...

I did not fall asleep. The minutes passed quickly, to my surprise, and I was still alert and tense when Paul pulled us both up into a sitting position.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay and sleep?"

I gave him a sour look.

He sighed, and scooped me up in his arms before he jumped from my window.

Once we were on the ground, he striped- with me looking the other way- and phased before bending down so I could climb onto his back.

He raced through the lack, quiet forest with me on his back, and even in his run I could feel the elation. He ran the way he did when it was just us, just for enjoyment, just for the feel of the wind in his hair. It was the kind of thing that, during less anxious times, would have made me happy.

When we got to the big open field, the pack was already there, talking casually, relaxed.

"Now" Sam called out, silencing everyone "we all know why we're here..."

"Oh, cut the chit-chat, Sam" Embry shouted and everyone laughed. Sam just rolled his eyes.

"Fine then, I'll cut to the bottom line. We have two advantages. One: the newborns don't know that we even exist and two: we have a vampire expert in our mist."

Everyone looked at me.

"What? Me?" I asked in disbelief.

"Well, you are the chick who ran with vampires" Quil pointed out with a grin.

"You can't run with vampires" I muttered but got up and stood beside Sam anyway.

"Alright, Bella, can you tell us what we need to know?" Sam asked.

"I guess" I said, nervous already and trying to remember what Jasper had told me about newborn vampires. "Okay. These newborns are almost completely different from the vampires you are used to killing."

"How so?" Sam asked.

"They are all very new- only months old to this life. Children, in a way. They will have no skill or strategy, only brute strength. Judging by the killings, I recon there are about twenty, but the numbers may go down. The new ones fight amongst themselves."

There was a mumbled of excitement going around my family.

"The two most important things you'll need to remember are, first, don't let them get their arms around you and, seconds, don't go for the obvious kill. That's all they'll be prepared for. As long as you come at them from the side and keep moving, they will be too confused to respond effectively."

I sat back down next to Emily and Kim and the three of us watched the boys practise their fighting, altering their strategies.

I sighed, looking up at the star filled sky, and let my eyelids droop.

"We're about to finish" Emily whispered to me, yawning as well.

Sam confirmed that, turning towards the rest of the wolves. "We'll be doing this tomorrow."

Paul's head cocked to the side, like he was assessing me. Then his muzzle fell open, pulling back over his teeth. It would have been frightening expression, except that his tongue lolled out the side in a wolfy grin.

I giggled. He'd been trying to see if I was scared of him.

Paul's grin widened over his sharp teeth. He left his place in line, ignoring the eyes of his pack as they followed him curiously. He trotted over to me to stand not two feet away from me. He stopped there.

Paul crouched down on his front legs and dropped his head so that his face was no higher than mine, staring at me, measuring my response.

Of course, I had seen Paul in his wolf form before, but not as detailed as this.

"Hey Paul" I breathed.

The answering rumble deep in his chest sounded like a chuckle.

I reach my hand out and touched the silver, soft fur on the side of his face.

The black eyes closed, and Paul leaned his huge head into my hand. A thrumming hum resonated in his throat.

The fur was both soft and rough, and warm against my skin. I ran my fingers through it curiously, learning the texture, stroking his neck where the colour deepened. I hadn't realized how close I had gotten; without warning, Paul suddenly licked my face from chin to hairline.

"Ew! Gross, Paul!" I complained, jumping back and smacking at him, just as I would have if he were human/ He dodged out of the way, and the coughing bark that came through his teeth was obviously laughter.

I wiped my face on the sleeve of my shirt, unable to keep form laughing with him.

It was at that point that I realized that everyone was watching us, the humans and werewolves- the humans were smiling happily. It was hard to read the wolves' faces- minus Sam who was human and looked very, very pleased- but I think they were happy too.

The wolves- minus Sam again- disappeared into the forest only to return as humans. They were all beaming at me like I had just given them the best Christmas present ever.

"Ready to go?" Paul asked me, his eyes alight with love, taking my hand.

"Hang on" said Jared, looking puzzled and handling up a hand "what are we going to do with them during the fight?"

"Do with us!" me, Emily and Kim exclaimed.

"You can't stay in Forks" Paul agreed, nodding. "They know where to look for you there. What is someone slipped by us?"

My stomach dropped and the blood drained from my face. "Charlie?" I gasped.

"He'll be with Billy" Jacob assured me quickly. "If my dad has to commit a murder to get him there, he will do it. Probably it won't take that much. It's this Saturday, right? There's a game."

"What about keeping the three of them in La Push?" Embry interjected.

I was shaking my head even before he had finished. "That won't work."

"Why not" Embry demanded.

"They aren't thick. They know how to use a phonebook and I've been back and forth too much. I mean, Emily and Kim can, but I can't. I've left trails all over the place. And obvious someone created them. There is someone more experienced behind this. Whoever he, or she is, this could all be a distraction."

They all looked at me in disbelief.

"Just being overcautious" I shrugged.

There was a long pause.

"How about one of us carries Bella" said Seth slowly "masking her scent with ours."

"Brilliant, pup!" Leah laughed and he scowled playfully at her.

"I'll do it" Paul volunteered quickly and everyone laughed making him blush.

"You so did not blush, Paul!" Emily exclaimed, wide eyed and mouth open in shock.

"I think it's adorable" I grinned, kissing him on the cheek.

"And I can leave a fake trail" I added.

"Brilliant!" Leah exclaimed. She hugged me, spinning me around and around. "We're brain storming!"

I laughed and Jacob joined me. Paul put his arm round my waist, laughing to. The others joined in and soon our laughter was bouncing around the forest, filling the night and chasing away the demons.

Everything was going to be all right.

**AN: Love all my readers! Blimey, I've got 134 reviews! Makes me v. Happy.**

**Thank you to:**

**LadyMiaF, SerenaSnape666, Twiticulate, 4Edward's-Eyes-Only, Kathyxxxxxx, Mrs James Stark, MafiaBitches and Belaxbyxdefault for putting my story on your story alert**

**Thank you to:**

**IzzyBFFAddict92, LadyMiaF, Dranaqueen101310, Murfdizzle, KitsuneeFoxx and Deepsoul1004 for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**And for all those who reviewed:**

**Pris: No, he isn't. I did a vote earlier on in the chapters on whether or not the Cullens should come back and most people voted 'NO'. So once I have finished this story and written it out again in Paul's point of view, I'm gonna write another one where the Cullens do return.**

**Xoxo-latina: Will do**

**Kathy Hiester: Thanks**

**Murfdizzle: I'm glad and thanks**

**Murfdizzle: DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD**

**VampireEva: I'm glad**

**OnlyTheGoodeSpyYoung13: You're welcome**

**Your-one-and-only: I'm not writing a chapter on that because it's too hard for me. I mean, how the hell would they explain what they are, what they do, explain the fact that the Cullens were vampires, explain imprint and then have him completely fine with it? Nah-ah, too hard for me to write**

**Peaceful Dragon Rose: I'm glad**

**Twimore: Doing it ASAP**

**Ggghhhaaarrr67: Same! I do that all the time lol**

**Buckbeak Ate My Wand: What? Do you mean 'can they have a fight'? Because I'm working on that**

**Jacob back rulez: You know, I've noticed that I keep surprising you. Is that normal?**

**Baby mama in training: I'm trying to get Bella to turn into an angry kitty or something like that. I don't think it's working though...**

**Mmrzzol: I have a huge fan? : **

**With all my love and best wishes on having a faby New Year**

**~Poison Ivey**


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Paul carried me home in his arms, expecting that I wouldn't be able to hang on. I must have fallen asleep on the way.

When I woke up, I was in my bed and the dull light coming through my windows slanted in from a strange angle... almost like it was afternoon.

I yawned and stretched, my fingers searching for him and coming up empty.

"Paul?" I mumbled.

My seeking fingers encountered something warm and soft. His hand.

"Are you really awake this time?" Paul chuckled.

"Mmmm" I sighed in assent. "Have there been a lot of false alarms?"

"You've been very restless. Did you know that you talk in your sleep?" He sounded amused.

"Oh god" I moaned, sitting up causing my head to spin. "What did I say this time?"

"Oh nothing of importance" Paul laughed. "Just how much you love this Paul, how hot he is. You know, I'm starting to get jealous, who is this Paul?"

"Oh, shut up" I said, whacking a pillow on his head.

"You've been talking all day" Paul laughed.

"All day?" I blinked and looked at the windows again.

"You had a long night" he said reassuringly. "You'd earned a day in bed."

So the light was coming in my window from the west. "Wow."

"Hungry?" he guessed, getting up. "Do you want breakfast in bed?"

"I'll get it" I groaned, stretching again. "I need to get up and move around. Do you want some?"

"Now you're speaking my language" Paul grinned.

I kept it simple, throwing four Pop-tarts in the toaster. I caught a glimpse of myself in the reflective chrome.

"Ugh, I'm a mess."

"It was a long night" he said again. "You should have stayed here and slept."

"Right! And missed everything. You know, you need to start accepting the fact that I'm part of the wolf pack now."

He grinned like a dang treasure cat. "I could probably get used to that idea."

I gave him his breakfast and I ate mine in silence, watching him, drinking him in.

"Hey" said Paul suddenly, startling me "that reminds me. I have something for you."

I watched curiously as he reached into his pocket.

"Close your eyes" he said softly in my ear, pulling me up to a standing position.

Under normal circumstances I would have argued, but, because it was Paul, I obeyed. I felt his hot breath on my neck as he kissed it and I shivered.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now" Paul said.

"Oh my god" I breathed.

Paul was on one knee...holding a velvet box in his hand...with a ring settled in the middle.

"Isabella Marie Swan; I promise to protect and love you forever, will you marry me?"

I got down on my knees too and whispered "Yes" before crashing my lips to his.

After while, we broke apart, panting for breath.

"Bella" Paul panted "you just made me the happiest man on earth."

I laughed and he kissed the ring onto my finger, making my breath hitch. He laughed which I silenced with a soft kiss.

"Come on, let's watch a movie" Paul whispered, looking slightly dazed. I loved the effect I had on him.

**~Lemons~You~Have~Been~Warned~**

We made our way to the couch, but somehow I managed to trip over thin air and we both bell onto the floor with me on top of him. I blushed.

"Sorry" I breathed, giving him a quick kiss and making to get up, but he held me still.

"Don't move" he hissed through clenched teeth. I blinked, taken aback.

"Did I hurt you?"

He gave me a look like I was missing out on something obvious and took my hand, pulling it down to his trousers. There he rested it on a bulge.

"Sorry" I repeated sheepishly, and then had an idea. I stroked the bulge and he hissed, involuntarily bucking up into my hand.

"Bella, you have to stop" Paul gasped, his eyes rolling into the back of his head and moaning slightly as I continued to stroke him.

"Mouth saying one thing, body saying another" I whispered and he shivered.

I sucked on his neck before descending down his body, kissing all the way. I let my teeth graze over his nipples.

"Ah, fuck, Bella" Paul growled, throwin his head back and arching his back. "That feels so good, but you have to stop. I don't think I can...urgh...control myself when you do that."

I continued to descend down till I reached my destination.

"There seems to be a problem in your pants, Paul" I grinned. "Would you like me to sort it out?"

It seemed that Pail couldn't think straight because all that came out was "Oh...god..."

I laughed and popped the button, before pulling down his trousers. I took his member in my hand and began stocking it again, painfully slowly.

"Argh, stop t-teasing me woman" Paul groaned, trying to get more friction. "You're driving me fucking crazy."

"Maybe that's what I want" I teased him, ending my stroking and moving it to the inside of his thighs. "Maybe I want to hear you beg. To tell me how much you want it."

"I don't bed to women" Paul growled, bucking his hips in search of my hand. "They always end up begging to me."

"Oh, really." I cocked my eyebrow up. "Well, we'll see about that."

I got up- being careful to let my hand graze of his throbbing member with my hand- and walked towards the kitchen. I knew full well that, even if he didn't start begging, I would soon be back and fucking him senselessly. I was too aroused by his moaning to walk away. But, thankfully, I didn't have to embarrass myself.

"Please" Paul rasped.

"What was that?" I called back.

"Please, Bella, I need you" Paul said, getting up shakily and pressing me up against the wall. "I need to you; I need to feel your warm, wet mouth around my cock. Please!"

"Your wish is my command" I said huskily, flipping us around so he was against the wall and knelt down before him, taking him in my mouth.

"Oh god!" Paul moaned, pushing himself further into my mouth. "God, that feels so good. Shit!"

I pushed him even further into my mouth to the back of my throat and let my gag reflexes take over.

"Ah, shit, Bella, I-I-I'm gonna c-cum" Paul moaned. He released his seeds into my mouth and I moaned at the taste, swallowing him greedily.

Paul lent against the wall, breathing heavily and looked very dazed. I cleaned myself up in the kitchen sink, trying to calm myself down.

"What the hell was that?" Paul asked breathlessly, sound shocked.

"Well, I didn't think it would be fair on you if you had to go take a cold shower. You didn't need to be in pain all day" I explained as casually as I could and trying not to show how turned on I was by his moaning.

I dried my hands and face on a tea-towel before turning around and finding myself being pushed up against the wall by Paul.

"Well, I believe I'm not the only one who's aroused" Paul whispered huskily.

"W-what?" I stuttered, completely distracted by his hands under my shirt.

He merely chuckled, removing his hands making me whimper and carried me upstairs to my bedroom where he laid me on my bed.

Painfully slow, his hands crept up my shirt making me arch in need. He lifted it over my head and tossed it somewhere before attacking my mouth. I kissed him back hungrily but he moved back when I started to stroke his back and I whimpered again.

"Nah-ah" Paul grinned, tapping my nose with his finger teasingly. "It's my turn."

He kissed my clothed breast sending electrical currents down to my core and I moaned at the feeling.

He reached behind me and unclasped my bra, tossing that somewhere.

I almost immediately felt self conscious and started to cover myself up but he stopped my hands, smiling reassuringly.

"You're beautiful." I blushed.

He took my breast in his mouth and began his magic, sucking it and running his tongue over the sensitive areas.

"Shit" I exclaimed, caught off guard, I arched into his touch and wound my finders into his hair.

Once he was sure it had received enough attention, he moved onto the next one and repeated the delicious torture all over again, reducing me to a quivering and begging for more.

He kissed down my stomach and dipped his tongue into my belly-button.

"Oh god" I moaned, arching up again, trying to get more contact. "Paul! Please!"

"What is it that you want, babe?" Paul said teasingly, stroking the hem of my jeans me insane. It was almost impossible to think straight with him touching me like that.

"I...oh..." I stuttered, closing my eyes in bliss.

"What do you want" Paul whispered in my ear and I shivered.

"Please" I managed to gasp out as his finger went just below the waist band. "I need you."

"What?" Paul asked teasingly. He knew what I wanted! "What do you need me to do?"

His finger was so close to where I needed him to touch, just a little further.

"I need you to...oh!" I gasped, trying to regain control as he kissed my nipples. "God, please, I need you to fuck me!"

There! I said it!

"Your wish is my command" he quoted me and plunged his finger inside me.

My mouth opened in a silent scream as I pressed against him and let the blinding orgasm tear through me. Wave after wave of pleasure kept me completely tensed in his hold, arching my back and gripping his thighs so tightly I was sure I'd leave bruises. My head fell back against the bed, eyes wide and finally a noise escaped my lungs. A moan dripping with satisfaction but rather soft compared to the shock waves wreaking havoc on my body. I'd never experienced anything like it, and when I felt myself go limp, I knew I'd never felt so drained either.

"Blimey" I whispered, still in shock.

"I've never known someone come so hard and waist" Paul joked.

"Thanks" I muttered, rolling my eyes.

"You ready" he asked and I realised he was positioned over my entrance. I nodded, biting my lip nervously. "This may hurt."

And, bloody hell, did it hurt! It felt like I was being ripped in two, but Paul was there, kissing away my tears as he moved slowly and it became more pleasurable.

Paul, seeing that my pain was over, began go pace up.

"Paul!" I screamed as I felt my orgasm build up, signalling that I was close.

"Cum with me, baby, cum with me" Paul gasped huskily and she did, screaming in pleasure along with him.

"Wow" I breathed as he rolled off me and I curled up against his chest.

"You can say that again."

"Paul?" I said carefully.

"Hmmm?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Bella."

**AN: Sorry it's late. Being the Christmas holidays and all, it's been as hectic as hell.**

**Thank you to:**

**Mistress Saturnl, Bruttyangel, Jinxiepops, Davia, DamnULulu, Nessieforever21, Genesis26, Nymphadora Tonks-Black-Lupin, Mrsmeggiepotter, Tsalagi wa-ya, Kittykat89xx, Priscina Isabella Malfoy, , Sesshoumaru-Lil-Wolfe, Jmasencullen, Roseandchirs3, Sleepylittleme, Rayne24, Lozanic, JacobLover123456, Abriana, ClumsyCate, DragoonShana and Pasch for putting my story on your story alert**

**Thank you to:**

**Caggie, Nessieforever21, Nymphadora Tonks-Black-Lupin, Tsalogi wa-ya, Kittykat89, Pallylover, Priscina Isabella Malfoy, DVTRBHW, Raven1123, Ur oN mY rEz, JacobLover123456, Sasuyugi-JLover, Grace2009, xoxo-latina, Mustapisaram Anya Whitlock, Supernaturaluvr and .God for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**Thank you to:**

**Nymphadora Tonks-Black-Lupin for putting me on your author alert and favourite author list**

**And for all those who reviewed:**

**Brittyangel: Yeah, I kinda like that idea, too: D**

**DamnULulu: That's a brill idea: DDDD. I don't think it would be Garret though. It would probably be Peter and Charlotte that would come seen as I haven't seen them enough in Steph Meyer's books.**

**Kathyxxxxxx: You too**

**OnlyTheGoodeSpyYoung13: I'm glad**

**Priscina Isabella Malfoy: I'm trying to stick as close to the story as I possible. This story is, after all, Bella's life only with the werewolves.**

**Your-one-and-only: So am I, but it won't be too soon. I don't want to rush this story too much.**

**Jacob black rulez: Thanks**

**AliceCarlisleFan: I'll try: D**

**MigratingCoconuts06: Sorry I didn't do it soon. It's been a busy weeks.**

**Feebes86: Um...well, you got me there. I honestly don't know. An author mistake. I guess you can say that they've been monitoring the vampire army and are able to calculate the rough time they will reach Forks for the fight.**

**Xoxo-latina: Same: DDDDDDDDD**

**Baby mama in training: Got it. Thanks for the advice.**

**Sassygirl1191: On its way.**

**Twimore: Sorry about that. I agree :)))))))))))))))**

**Tigger5600: I did thank you. And you?**

**Peaceful Dragon Rose: Thanks**

**Seza3175: I am trying to keep her as close to human as possible. It's just that someone literally begged me not to kill Charlie- it was a very long PM- and so that idea just popped into my head. Thank you so much for your dedication to this story. It means the world to me. I think we need a few more people on like you lol.**

**And thanks to all those people who are reading this story right now.**

**~Poison Ivey**


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

I enjoyed the trip to the clearing more than I had last night. I still felt afraid, but I wasn't terrified anymore. I could function. I could see past what was coming, and almost believe that maybe it would be okay. Maybe the girls were right, and I did worry too much.

The girls had been so pleased about the proposal and had begged me at least ten times to do a detailed play back of what he said exactly and how he did it. I purposefully left out the...ahem...part because I was too embarrassed to say it out loud. Does that sound stupid? Anyway, I'm willing to bet anything that they will find out soon from Leah seen as she will be reading Paul's mind soon.

I and Paul got to the clearing last, as usual.

Jared and Embry were already wrestling- just warming up from the sounds of their laughter- as wolves. Kim and Leah- in wolf form- lounged on the hard ground, watching. Emily and Sam were talking a few yards away, heads close together, fingers linked, and not paying attention.

It was much brighter tonight, he moon shining through the thin clouds, and I could easily see every wolf and human that sat around the edge of the practice ring, spaced far apart to watch from different angles.

Sam announced that he wanted to try some unequal groupings, to teach them how to deal with multiple attackers.

And a fresh wave of panic shattered my brief sense of confidence as Paul joined the circle in wolf form.

They were outnumbered and unprepared.

I stared at the field, trying to hide my reaction.

It was the wrong place to look, struggling as I was to lie to myself, to convince myself that everything would work out as I needed it to. Because when I forced my eyes away from the two wolves- away from the image of their play fighting that would be real and deadly in just a few days- Paul caught my eyes and smiled.

It was the same wolfy grin as before, when he was in his human form, and just as beautiful.

It was hard to believe that, not so long ago, I had found the werewolves frightening- lost sleep to nightmares about them. They weren't monsters, even like this. They were family.

Family who didn't look nearly as indestructible as vampires did, moving faster than cobra strikes while the moonlight glinted off their granite-hard skin. Family who didn't seem to understand the danger involved here. Family who were still somewhat mortal, family who could bleed, family who could die...

I tried to smile back at Paul, swallowing against the lump in my throat. I didn't seem to get it right.

Paul sprang light back to his feet, his agility as odds with his sheer mass, and totted over to where I stood on the fringe of things.

He put his head down to my level, cocking it to one side. A low whimper escaped his muzzle.

"I'm fine" I answered. I had seen the wolves so many times that I was getting good at understanding what they were trying to say. "Just worried, you know."

Paul gave me a look that said plainly: That's really stupid. What is there to be worried about?

I halfway smiled, too anxious to really feel amused. "There's plenty to be worried about" I told Paul. "Like a bunch of really stupid wolves getting themselves hurt."

Paul laughed his coughing bark and I heard some of the others join in.

I sat down where I was. The ground was cold and uncomfortable.

Paul took a step forward, and then looked back at me, and a low whine rose in his throat. He took another half-step.

"Go on without me" I told him, trying to sound calm. "I don't want to watch."

Paul leaned his head to the side again for a moment, and then folded himself on to the ground beside me with a rumbling sigh.

"Really, you can do ahead" I assured him. He didn't respond; he just put his head down on his paws.

I stared up at the bright silver clouds, not wanting to see the fight. My imagination had more than enough fuel. A breeze blew through the clearing, and I shivered.

Paul scooted himself closer to me, pressing his warm fur against my left side.

"Thanks" I murmured, stroking him lovingly behind the ear. That same strange humming sound that he'd made a two days ago rumbled in his throat. It was a honey kind of sound. Rougher and wilder than a cat's purr, but conveying the same sense of contentment; a beautiful sound.

"You know, I never had a dog" I mused. "I always wanted one, but Renee's allergic."

Paul laughed; his body shook under me.

"Aren't you worried about Saturday at all?" I asked.

He turned his enormous head toward me, so that I could see one of his eyes roll.

"I wish I could feel that positive."

He leaned his head against my leg and started humming again. And it did make me feel just a little bit better.

"So, me and Seth have some hiking to do tomorrow, I guess."

He rumbled; the sound was unenthusiastic. I guess he didn't like the idea of Seth carrying me, no matter how much he trusted Seth. He wanted to be the one doing the carrying, but Sam insisted that he was much more use in the fight and Seth was too young to fight anyway. Of course, Seth wasn't at all pleased by that at all. He wanted to 'kick some vampire butt', as he put it.

"It's going to be a long hike" I sighed. "I don't think San judges distances the way a normal person does."

Paul barked another laugh and Sam growled playfully on the other side of the clearing. Of course he could hear our conversation.

I settled deeper into his warm, soft fur, resting my head against his neck.

The killing games continued in the clearing, and I stared at the hazy moon, shining brightly and positively in the dark night sky. I hoped that was a good omen.

**AN: Hah-ha! Another chapter done and dusted *does happy dance***

**Thank you to:**

**Crazycaro7, Dulangel9299, Wanna-be-Jacobs-lover, Smexyy, Alexandra and twin Alexander2, Blondeiblack1, Greywolflove, MandaLynWilson and Bwilla for putting me on your story alert**

**Thank you to:**

**Dvlangel9299, Wanna-be-Jacobs-lover, Smexyy, Twilightaholic1122, Alexandra and twin Alexander, Animemanga420, MandaLynWilson, Noin37 and Nazygullaver for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**Thank you to:**

**MandaLynWilson for putting me on your favourite author list and your author alert**

**Reviewers:**

**DrAmA qUeEn: Well, what story is a story without a little drama in it? I'll try.**

**Seza3175: Same lol. I look down expectantly at the 'next' button and it's not there! D:**

**MigratingCoconuts06: Well, I'm no Stephanie Meyer and I didn't like it that Bella fought the proposal, so I decided to change that part. I hope you don't mind.**

**Alexandra and twin Alexander: Will do.**

**AliceCarlisleFan: Trying to.**

**Baby mama in training: I can't wait to write some more so we're on the same boat there.**

**Twimore: You too.**

**Your-one-and-only: Lol! That would be a sight to see.**

**Brittyangel: Thanks you.**

**And thanks to all of those who are reading 'Poisoned Love'**

**All my love**

**~Poison Ivey**


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Everything was ready.

Billy borrowed Old Quil Ateara's boat and invited Charlie down for some open sea fishing before the afternoon game started. Collin and Brady, the two youngest werewolves and ones that I was yet to meet once they had calmed down at bit, were staying behind to protect La Push- though they were just children, both of them only thirteen. Still, Charlie would be safer than anyone left in Forks.

I had done all that I could do. I tried to accept that, and put the things that were outside of my control out of my head, for tonight at least. One way or another, this would all be over in forty-eight hours. The thought was almost comforting.

Paul had requested that I relax, and I was going to do my best.

Paul and I were going to wait for the sword to be removed from over my head before we started planning the wedding, so that Paul would be satisfied. I knew he was just stalling so I would have enough time to turn around and say no and leave him. But it wasn't necessary. I loved him with all my heart, and I was ready.

"Bella, I'm here" Leah shouted up the stairs "Come on up!" I shouted back, lifting my bag on bed.

"I think" said Leah, shifting through my wardrobe and pulling out a couple of jumpers "that you're going to want to pack for cold weather. The storm that's coming seems particularly bad in that general area."

I nodded.

"It's going to snow on the mountains" she added me.

"Snow!" I complained. "It's June, for crying out loud!"

She laughed at me.

When we were done packing, Leah handed me her mobile phone. "Why don't you call Seth and tell him we'll be ready for him in an hour or so. He knows where to meet us."

I did as she told me too and we set towards the edge of the forest.

"All right. Just walk north for a ways, touching as much as you can" Leah instructed.

"North?"

She laughed again and pointed out the right direction.

I wandered into the woods, leaving the clear yellow light of the strangely sunny day in the clearing behind me. Maybe the wolves were wrong about the snow, though it was highly unlikely. I hoped so anyway. The sky was mostly clear, though the wind whipped furiously through the open spaces. In the trees it was calmer, but much too cold for June- even in a long-sleeved shirt with a thick sweater over the top; there were goose bumps on my arms. I walked slowly, trailing my fingers over anything close enough: the rough tree bark, the wet ferns, the moss-covered rocks.

I ran my fingers through my hair and caught a few loose strands. I draped them over the ferns and wedged another hair into a broken branch that cut through my path.

It took a while for me to reach the spot where the newborn army would be certain to cross my trail, but I took even longer on the way back, trying to keep on the same path. It all looked alike to me.

I was almost to the clearing when I fell. I could see the wide opening ahead, and that's probably why I got too eager and forgot to watch my feet. I caught myself before my head bashed into the nearest tree, but a small branch snapped off under my left hadn and gouged into my palm.

"Ouch! Oh fabulous" I muttered. Then an idea struck me.

Without looking at the blood and breathing through my mouth, just in case my stomach might react, I pressed my hand against a rock within my reach.

"If he was here, Jasper would have loved this" I muttered to myself. I started for the clearing again, pressed my pal against everything in my path. "I'll bet this really gets them going."

Once I was done, I cleaned the gash with the medical bag that I knew I would need and wrapped a bandaged around it before tying it. It wasn't the best, but I didn't have any plasters with me.

I then walked towards the edge of the clearing, waiting for Seth to appear.

Seth seemed bigger again- no doubt he was still changing even though he'd phased. He had his arms folded across his bare chest, and his face broke into a huge, cheeky grin when he saw me.

"Sethy!" I laughed, throwing myself at him to pull him into a hug.

"Easy Bella, you only saw me yesterday" Seth joked, chuckling and hugging me back. "What's up?"

I rolled my eyes. "Sam old, same old."

"Yeah" he agreed. "Bunch of vampires trying to kill you. The usual."

"The usual."

"Well" he said "let's get going."

He bent down and swept his arm behind my knees, knocking them out from under me. His other arm caught me just before my head hit the ground.

"Great, two Jacobs" I muttered.

Seth chuckled. Already running through the trees. He kept a steady pace, a brisk job that a fit human could keep up with...across a level plane...if they weren't burdened with a hundred-plus pound as he was.

"You don't have to you, you know. You'll get tired."

"Running doesn't make me tired" Seth said cheerfully. His breathing was even- like the fixed tempo of a marathoner. "Besides, it will be colder soon. I hope we can get the camp set up soon."

"I don't like the way the weather feels" Seth said conversationally. "It's making me edgy. Notice how we haven't seen any animals."

"Um, not really. I guess my senses are too dull." I shrugged. "Paul's worried about the storm, too."

"Well, Paul worries way too much when it comes to you, but it takes a lot to silence the forest this way. You picked a hell of a night for a camping trip."

"It wasn't entirely my idea."

The path way he took began to climb more and more steeply, but it didn't slow him down. He leapt easily from rock to rock, not seeming to need his hands at all. His perfect balance reminded me of a mountain goat.

It was quiet for a while; there was just the sound of his measured breathing and the wind roaring high above us in the treetops. A cliff face rose sheer beside us, bare, rough gray stone. We followed the base as it curved upward out of the forest.

"Why was everyone so surprised when they found out that I and Leah were friends?" I asked suddenly, watching expression slowly. I'd wanted to know the answer to that question for a long time.

Seth shrugged. "I guess it was because Leah's never been very good friends with anyone since Sam left her for Emily. She'd been bitchy for ages and then come along, out of the blue, and suddenly you two are best friends like you've known each other for years."

"Oh" was my brilliant reply.

He laughed loudly. "And she gets all the fun tomorrow as well, luck thing."

The sudden, unexpected swell of horror and fear distorted my expression all of a sudden. I couldn't speak. What if Paul died because I didn't keep my trap shut? What if any of them died? And I knew that Emily, Kim and Leah would never forgive me if their wolves did die. And the same with Jake if Leah died...even if we were best friends...

"What's the matter, Bella?" Seth asked; worry crossing his expression and chasing away the joking amusement. "Are you okay? Don't cry, Bella" he pleased.

I tried to pull myself together. "I'm not going to cry."

"What did I say?"

It's nothing you said. It's just, well, it's me. I'm sick with worry...and I'm afraid."

He frowned, confusion dancing in his eyes. "You think this isn't going to work? That they'll find you here? Do you know something that we don't know?"

"No, no. I'm not afraid of that. I just...I'm afraid for the others. If anyone gets hurt it will always be my fault. And even if no one does...I dumped this on them...on you. You guys lived a reasonably peaceful life and I come along with the tidal wave. It wasn't fair on any of you. I've been horrible!"

I felt just a tiny bit better, getting it off my chest.

"You don't need to worry, Bells" Seth soothed me "We're stronger than we look. And about the whole dumping thing...don't worry about that either. Life was way too boring before you came, and Emily, Leah and Kim love you. They would be so upset if you left. And you've changed Paul in more ways than you can imagine. He used to a right old shit bag before you came long: always getting into fights, bursting into a wolf if any of us pissed him off. Now he's all calm and...Well...gentlemen like. It's scary!"

I sighed.

"You don't need to worry, Bells" he repeated reassuringly, looking me straight in the eye. "Everything's gonna be alright in the end."

"It better be" i mumbled "or I'm gunna ask fate for my fucking money back."

Seth laughed and said cheerfully "We're not far now."

I sighed, in relief this time. I was starting to get cramp in my legs.

"We'd better get you under shelter before that hits."

We both looked up at the sky.

A solid wall of purple-black cloud was racing in from the west, blackening the forest beneath it as it came.

"Wow" I muttered. "We'd better hurry and get that tent up."

Just then, the wind shook more fiercely through the trees around us, and it felt like it was blowing straight off a glacier. The sharp sound of wood cracking echoed off the mountain. Though the light was vanishing as the grisly cloud covered the sky, I could still see the little white specks that fluttered past us.

Seth stepped up the pace, keeping his eyes on the ground as he flat out sprinted. I curled against his warm chest, recoiling from the unwelcome snow.

"Bella! Seth!" we heard Leah call out in acute relief.

"Leah! What are you doing here?" Seth sounded surprised, but pleased all the same. Obviously this wasn't planned.

"We didn't like the way the weather was looking so Sam sent me to set up your tent for you so you could get Bella sheltered quickly."

"Thanks" I sighed in relief, then added "Sam? Or was it Paul?"

"Okay, you got me, it was Paul" Leah laughed. "He was freaking out so I offered to do it."

"Tell him to calm down" I said. "And also add that I've given you permission to rip his head off if he doesn't."

The three of us laughed.

"We need to get her into the tent" Seth said. "This is going to be bad- my hair is standing up on my scalp. Is the tent secure?"

"I all but welded it other rock."

After saying goodbye- and i refused the think that it was the last goodbye- Leah left us to go home and Seth passed while I had my back turned. I had a nasty feeling I was in for a long night. And this was only just the beginning.

**AN: So, what did you think. The holidays are over tomorrow so I won't be able to update as fast as I have done over the Christmas holidays, but I'll put extra effort into my chapters to make the worth reading.**

**Thank you to:**

**Justonedimple, Jackies chibe vampires, Cundylee99, Ggghhhaaarrr67 and lacysangels for putting my story on your story alert**

**Thank you to:**

**Jackies chibe vampires, WolfGirl224, Shadoee, She-Wold-In-Love, Alice Cullen444, Alex121, Black Rose of Love, Mistydawn80, Aggy73 and Cullen12393 for putting my story on your favourite story list.**

**Thank you to:**

**Jackies chibe vampires and ggghhhaqaarrr67 for putting me on your favourite author list**

**Thank you to:**

**Jackies chibe vampires, Alexandra and twin Alexander12 and ggghhhaaarrr67 for putting me on your author alert**

**And for all of you that have reviewed and made my day:**

**Jackies chibe vampires: I'll try, but like I said: it's the end of the holidays and so I won't be able to update as much as I have been.**

**Jacob black rulez: Thanks. I was completely stuck on how to end the chapter and figured that it would ahve to do as it was.**

**Nessieforever21: I'm glad.**

**Your-one-and-only: you'll have to wait and see, now, won't you hon?**

**Alexandra and twin Alexander12: Well, I was talking to my friend about writing a Paul/Bella fanfic and she said it would be a 'Poisoned love story'.**

**Baby mama in training: I'm glad you did.**

**AliceCarlisleFan: We can only hope...we can only hope**

**Priscina Alice Malfoy: Thanks**

**Ggghhhaaarrr67: D**

**Tigger500: So does 'Your-one-and-only'.**

**Greywolflove: I'll try**

**Brittyangel: You're welcome**

**DamnULulu: Lol! You made my day by giving me a brilliant review!**

**From**

**~Poison Ivey**


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

The wind shook the tent again and I shook with it.

The temperature was dropping. I could feel it through the down bag, and through my jacket. I was fully dressed, my hiking books still laced up tightly into place, but it didn't make any difference. How could it be so cold? Scratch that. How could it still be getting colder? It had to bottom out sometime, didn't it?"

I looked at my watching, telling me that it was only two in the morning.

I had been worried that the trail I had laid would be lost, but Seth promised before he phased that it would be plain to the coming monsters.

Out in the snow, Seth whined unhappily.

"G-g-g-get out of h-h-h-ere" I ordered for the thousandth time this night, but he simply ignored me. He's body _was _equipped for this kind of weather, but he should still leave.

Suddenly I heard the sound of the zipper around the tent door pulling swiftly down.

Seth slid through the smallest opening he could manage, while the arctic air flowed in around him, and a few flecks of snow falling to the floor of the tent and I shivered so violently you would have thought that i was about to phase into a big assed wolf.

"I should have thought of this before" he was muttering to himself, and carried on muttering about how Paul was going to kill him once he found out.

I tried to ask what he meant, but all that came out of my mouth was "W-w-w-w-w-w-w-w" as the shivering made me stutter uncontrollably.

"Easy" Seth whispered.

"S-S-S-S-Seth, you'll f-f-freez-z-z-ze!" I tried to complain once I saw that he was only wearing sweats.

"Not me" he replied cheerfully. Only Seth would be cheerful at a time like this. It just was fair. "I run at a toasty one-oh-eight point nine these days."

He crawled to my side and started unzipping my sleeping bag.

When I realized what he was doing, as he crammed his body into the nonexistent space, forcing the zipper up behind himself, I started to object.

And then I couldn't object- I didn't want to anymore. He was so warm. His arms constricted protectively around me, holding me snugly against his bare chest. The heat was irresistible, like air after being underwater for too long. He cringed when I pressed my icy fingers eagerly against his skin.

"Jeez, you're freezing, Bella" he complained.

"S-s-s-s-sorry S-S-Sethy" I stuttered.

"Trey to relax" he suggested as another shiver rippled through me violently. "You'll be warm in a minute. Man, I bet Paul would kill to have this job."

"T-t-tell me ab-about it" I tried to laugh through my teeth. "He's g-g-gonna k-k-kill you for this, you know."

"Not unless you stick up for me." He sounded hopeful.

The shuddering slowed, and became bearable.

"There" Seth said, obviously please. "Now Paul can't rip my head off. Feeling better?

I was finally able to speak clearly. "Yes."

It was already warm and snug inside the sleeping bag. Seth's body heat seemed to radiate from every side- maybe because there was so much of him. I kicked my boots off, and pushed my toes against his legs. He jumped slightly, and then leaned his head down to press his hot cheek against my numb ear.

I noticed that Seth's skin had a woodsy, mucky scent- it fit the setting, here in the middle of the forest. It was nice, but not as nice as Paul's scent. Paul's scent was like my drug that I couldn't get enough of, which was slightly embarrassing.

The storm howled like an animal attacking the tent, but it didn't worry me now. Seth was out of the cold, and so was I. I guess you could say I worried about Seth too much, that I would put an overprotective mother to shame, but he's like a little brother to me and I won't let anyone hurt him.

As the silence lengthened, my eyelids drooped and shut and my breathing grew slower, more even.

"That's right, honey, got to sleep" Seth whispered softly.

I sighed, content, already half-unconscious.

It was quiet then, inside at least. Outside, the wind shrieked insanely like a banshee through the trees. The shimmying of the tent of the tent made it hard to sleep. The poles would suddenly jerk and quiver, pulling back from the edge of unconsciousness each time I was close to slipping under.

My mind wandered as I waited for sleep to find me, back to the legends of all things.

I still wish that they had remembered the Third Wife's name at least. She deserved that much at least.

She wasn't a mythical creature, no such magical power inside her other than being part witch- though that wouldn't have saved her and everyone else from the mysterious vampire women- except courage. The courage to drive the knife into her heart to save the man she loved the most, her sons who she adored and her people. I wish I could be like her, more than anything.

Sure, I had a little power in my blood, but I didn't inherit her courage. I was a coward. I good for nothing coward...

When I woke up in the morning, it was very bright- even inside the tent, the sunlight hurt my eyes. And I was sweating. Seth was snoring lightly in my ear, his arms still wrapped around me.

I pulled my head away from his feverishly warm chest and felt the sting of the cold morning n my clammy cheek. Seth sight in his sleep; his arms tightened unconsciously. Aww, he was still protective of me even in his sleep.

I squirmed, unable to loosen his hold, struggling to lift my head enough to see...

I tried to get to the sipper, but I couldn't free my arms. I strained, fighting against Seth's inert strength. Seth muttered, still fast asleep, his arms constricting again.

"I'm going to get heat stroke" I muttered to no one in particular and said "If you don't wake up now, Seth, I will have to snog your face off!"

"Ew!" Seth exclaimed, jerking awake and removing his arms from around me quicker than I thought possible. "Bella, that's a shitty idea! You're like my sister!"

"I know" I said "but I had to wake you up somehow."

I rolled over, my back hitting the icy floor of the tent. I yelped and flinched away from the cold and jerking back into Seth, snuggling into his warmth.

He laughed. "Back so soon, Bells?"

"Too bloody cold" I grumbled.

Seth laughed again, louder this time and rolled to his knees, grabbing the door's zipper before exiting the tent.

I listened for the sound of his retreating footsteps, but it was perfectly still. No more wind. I could hear morning birdsongs far away on the mountain, and nothing else. Seth moving in silence; just like the rest of my family.

I huddled in my coats, and leaned against one of the poles, thinking hard about nothing in particular, anything to keep my mind of the upcoming fight.

My hands twisted restlessly in my lap unconsciously as my thoughts came to the fight when I had no other thoughts to chase them away. Seth had convinced me one bit yesterday. I still felt horrid.

I was selfish, I was hurtful. I tortured the ones I loved by dumping this on them.

I was like Cathy, like _Wuthering Heights, _only my options were so much better than hers, neither one evil, neither one weak. And here I sat just thinking and never doing anything productive to mike things right. Just like Cathy.

I could feel that my hair was wild, twisted into clumps like Medusa's snakes. I know! Bella Swan is starting to care what she looked like. The girls were rubbing off on me. I yanked through it with my fingers, and then gave up quickly. I was fighting a battle that was lost even before it began.

I grabbed the canteen hanging beside then tent door and shook it. It sloshed wetly, so I unscrewed the lid and took a swig to rinse my mouth with the ice water. There was food somewhere nearby, but I didn't feel hungry enough to look for it. I started pacing across the bright little space once I'd gotten tired of just sitting there, feeling Seth's worried eyes on me the whole time. Because I couldn't look at him, in my head he became the boy again, rather than the gigantic wolf.

Seth whined at that moment, and got to his feet.

"What is it?" I asked him stupidly.

He pawed at the ground nervously.

"Is it the others, Seth?" I demanded as a cold trickle of fear began to ooze down my spine. "In the clearing?"

He nodded. The fight had begun, and all I could do was sit here.

**AN: Sorry it's late. After holidays, life is always hectic around here.**

**Thank you to:**

**Love100008, HydeHijacktGacjt, Sypatrickbaby, AIXA00, Edger2deadly, MydearSammeh, Northerngurl1993, CullenxVamp, Texus-twins8290, lightbeforethedawn, Mari91, twilets, GracefulWolvesInTheNight, LadySphire, MoonWolfRinner, Tsunamicurl, Obsessed-with-reading, Blcohl, , Mizzcatherine113 for putting my story on your story alert**

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**Eamurray022480, Akira-love95613, LuvinTwlight143, Afflictionseclippedbyglory, Obsessed-with-readying, Love10008, BlackFireNeko, Ism31red, Edger2deadly, MydearSammeh, Northerngurl1993, Demongirl20, CullenxVamp, Colorguardgirl187, Texas-twins8290, Twilets, GracefulWolvesInTheNight, Jessgold44 for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**And for all of you who have reviewed:**

**AliceCarlisleFan: Thanks. That really means a lot to me.**

**Brittyangel: Thank you :)**

**Ggghhhaaarrr67: I trying to stick to the books as much as possible**

**BlackFireNeko: I can't wait to write more: D**

**Edger2deadly: I glad you liked it: D I'm always scared that someone's gonna turn around and say that it's really bad and they hate it :(**

**MydearSammeh: LOL**

**Jacob black rulez: thanks**

**CullenxVamp: I'll try to update as fast as to me.**

**GracefulWolvesInTheNight: Thanks so much for the positive review.**

**MigratignCoconuts06: DDDDDDDDDDD**

**Twimore: Don't worry about it. Well, I really think that all of them are good. I recommend you go into the search box and type in 'Bella' then pare up 'Bella and Paul'. That way you'll get the best result. But I could recommend 'Red moon' though I can't remember who wrote it. Sorry :(**

**Tigger5600: Yeah. That seemed like a really important part in the plan so I decided to keep it.**

**DamnULulu: Yeah, sorry about the wait. Bo holiday days are always a bugger.**

**Baby mama in training: What do you mean by 'in the book Seth has like a little bromance issue with Jake'?**

**Yay me! It's my b-day today so you guys are lucky I was able to update today**

**Love you all**

**~Poison Ivey**


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

I sat there in the icy ground watching Seth very closely as he sat down, his eyes focussing on something only he could see. It unnerved me that I didn't know what was going on and he did, but I had no way of communicating with Seth while he was in wolf form.

As he continued to stare blankly at me, I thought irritably that if he didn't stop that then I was going to throw a pinecone at him.

Seth wined, seeming edgy.

"Is there something wrong" I demanded quickly. He shook his head and sighed a wolfy sigh. I rolled my eyes. "Let me guess, you want to join them?" I guessed.

He nodded and I threw a pinecone at him. "I'm glad you're not there. It's bad enough to feel worried sick for seven idiotic wolves as well as you!"

Seth chuckled and resumed his glassy stare.

"That's so creepy" I muttered to myself, grabbing a can of coke. I just held it in my hands, though, because it was probably ice.

Seth sighed again before walking over and pushing his body against the can for a couple of seconds before sitting back down again.

"Thanks" I murmured, feeling the warmth from the can. It felt nice against my numb fingers.

Seth jumped to his feet again suddenly, the hackles on the back of his neck standing up stiffly. I looked around sharply, but saw nothing. If Seth didn't cut it out, he was going to get another pinecone throw at him.

He growled, a lot warning sound, slinking back toward the western rim, and I rethought my impatience. Maybe there was something he could sense that my senses were too dull to pick up.

"Seth" I whispered.

His paw moved, never taking his eyes off something. I saw that the pinecones around him moved to clear a path in the shape of a 'V'.

"Victoria is attacking the others" I almost shrieked.

His head moved a fraction to the left. No.

"She's here!"

A fraction upwards.

Relief washed through my mind at the same time that my stomach dropped through the soles of my feet.

I had misunderstood.

Relief- Victoria wasn't in the clearing attacking the others.

Horror- she was _here._

Seth rushed in front of me standing in a defensive position that I recognized with a sickening certainty. The rock at my back made me realise that I had moved to stand with my back against it without me realising.

Victoria was coming for me.

A growl ripped through his muzzle again that was louder than I expected; too loud. It meant that it was far too late to hide. We were trapped.

Seth could survive this. I had to believe that. He was a good fighter, almost as good as Sam and the rest of the pack. If she didn't bring too many others, he could fight his way out, back to his family. He could make it and give my love to Paul.

Seth's body shifted- only infinitesimally, but it told me where to look. I stared at the black shadows of the forest.

It was like having my nightmares walk forward to greet me, mocking me.

Two vampires edged slowly into the small opening of our camp, blood red eyes and intent, missing nothing. They glistened like diamonds in the sun.

I could barely look at the blond boy- yes; he was just a boy, though he was muscular and tall, maybe my age when he was changed. His eyes- a move vivid red than I had ever seen before- could not hold mind. Though he was closest to Seth, the nearest danger, I could not watch him.

Because, just a few feet to the side and just a few feet back, Victoria was staring at me.

Her orange hair was brighter than I had remembered, more like a flame. There was no wind here, but the fire around her face seemed to shimmer slightly, as if it were alive.

Her eyes were black with thirst. She did not smile, as she always had in my nightmares- her lips were pressed into a tight line, but this only made her even more terrifying to me. There was a striking feline quality to the way she held her coiled body, a lioness waiting for an opening to spring. Her restless, wild gaze flickered between Seth and me, but never rested on him for more than a half a second, even though obvious curiosity burned in her eyes along with her thirst. She could not keep her eyes from my face anymore than I could keep mine from hers.

Tension rolled off of her, nearly visible in the air. I could feel the desire, the all-consuming passion that held her in its grip. Almost as if I could hear her thoughts, too, I knew what she was thinking. It was all too obvious.

She was so close to what she wanted, the focus of her whole existence for more than a year now was just _so close_.

My death.

Her plan was as obvious as it was practical. The big blond boy would attack Seth. As soon as Seth was sufficiently distracted, Victoria would finish me.

It would be quick- she had no time for games here- but it would be thorough. Something that it would be impossible to recover from.

She would have to stop my heart. Perhaps a hand shoved through my chest, crushing it. Something along those lines.

My heart beat speed up furiously, loudly, as if to make her target more obvious.

The blond boy looked at Victoria from the corner of his eye, waiting on her command.

He was young in more ways than one. I guessed from his brilliant crimson irises that he couldn't have been a vampire for very long. He could be strong, but inept. Seth would know how to fight him. He would have seen it in his family's eyes. Seth would survive.

Victoria jerked her chin toward Seth, wordlessly ordering the boy forward. I had to do something. To at least make him stop and think. Not only save Seth's life, but his too. It was obvious by the way he looked at Victoria that he loved her. That he had been fooled by her, just like she had fooled the rest of us.

"Do it, Riley" Victoria whispered, barely heard with my poor hearing.

"Riley" I pleaded, my voice sounding surprisingly soft.

The blond boy froze. I guess he hadn't talk for a human in a reasonable long time, unless he talked to his lunch.

"She's lying to you, Riley" I told him. "Please listen to me. She's lying to you just like she lied to the others who are dying now in the clearing. You know that she's lied to them, that she had you lie to them, that neither of you were ever going to help them. Is it so hard to believe that she's life to you, too?"

Confusion swept across Riley's face.

Seth shifted a few inches to the side, and Riley automatically compensated with an adjustment of his own.

"She doesn't love you, Riley" I said, trying to get my soft voice to become compelling, almost hypnotic. "She never has. She loved someone named James, and you're no more than a tool to her."

When I said James's name, Victoria's lips pulled back in a teeth-baring grimace. Her eyes stayed locked on me.

Riley cast a frantic glance in her direction.

"Riley?" I breathed.

Riley automatically refocused on Seth and me.

"She knows that my wolf with kill you, Riley. She wants you to die so that she doesn't have to keep up the pretence anymore. You've seen that once, haven't you? I can see that in your eyes. You've read the reluctance in her eyes, suspected a false note in her promises. You were right. She's never wanted you. Every kiss, every touch was a lie."

Seth moved again, loved a few inches toward the boy, a few inches away from me.

Victoria's gaze zeroed in on the gap between us. It would take her less than a second to kill me- she only needed the tiniest margin of opportunity.

Slower this time, Riley repositioned himself, and I knew it was working.

"You don't ahve to die" I promised, forcing my eyes to hold the boy's, though I meant every word. "There are other ways to live than the way she's shown you. It's not all lies and blood, Riley. You can walk away right now. You don't have to die for her lies."

Seth slid his paws forward and to the side. There was a foot of space between us now. Riley circled too far, over compensating this time. Victoria leaned forward onto the balls of her feet.

"Last chance, Riley" I whispered, though I knew he would hear it as clear as a bell.

Riley's face was desperate as he looked to Victoria for answers.

"He's the liar, Riley" Victoria said, and my mouth almost fell open in shock at the sound of her voice. "I told you about the way they play their games, even the human. You know I love you and only you."

Her voice was not the strong, wild catlike growl I would have put with her face and stance. It was soft; it was high- a babyish, soprano tinkling. The kind of voice that went with blond curls and pink bubble gum. It made no sense coming through her bared, glistening teeth.

Riley's jaw tightened, and he squared his shoulders. His eye emptied- there was no more confusion, no more suspicion. There was no thought at all. He tensed himself to attack.

Victoria's body seemed to be trembling, she was so tightly wound. Her fingers were ready claws, waiting for Seth to move just one more inch away from me.

"She's telling you the truth" a soft voice said and a young vampire girl came out of the trees. "Everything she says is true."

The girl had soft brown hair that flowed half-way down her back and bright red eyes.

"You little traitor!" Victoria shrieked. "I told you to go and never come back!"

"I know" the girl said calmly, coming to stand in front of me and Seth "but I'm a free girl, and I don't take orders."

Victoria growled in frustration. Ryle looked pained.

"You should keep out of this, Ivy" he whispered, refusing to look at her.

"You can't tell me what to do, either" Ivy snapped. "I'm trying to stop you from making a big mistake. And the penalty is death. They will kill you."

"And why would you care" he snapped back.

Ivy looked down and whispered "You know why."

"Enough!" Victoria snarled. "He chose me, you good nothing wore! Now back out of things that don't concern you."

Ivy glowered at her. "I know, but that don't mean that I can't protect him."

And then she lunged at Victoria. Seth lunged at Ryle, but I don't think Ivy noticed. She had the whole of her anger fixed on Victoria.

A yard and a half in front of me, the huge wolf ripped and tore at the blond vampire beneath him. Something white and hard smacked into the rocks by my feet. I cringed away from it.

Victoria did not spare one glance for the boy she had just pledged her love to. Her eyes were still on me, filled with a disappointment so ferocious that she looked deranged.

Riley was on his feet again, looking misshapen and haggard, but he was able to fling a vicious kick into Seth's shoulder. I heard the bone crunch. Seth backed off and started circle, limping. Riley had his arms out, ready, though he seemed to be missing part of one hand...

Only a few yards away from that fight, Victoria and Ivy were dancing.

Not quite circling, because Ivy refused to allow Victoria position herself closer to me. Victoria sashayed back, moving from side to side, trying to find a hole in Ivy's defence. Ivy shadowed her footwork lithely, stalking her with perfect concentration, especially since she was a newborn. Ivy began to move just a fraction of a second before she moved, like she knew exactly what she was going to do before she did it. Did she have some sort of power?

Seth lunged at Riley from the side, and something tore with a hideous, grating screech. Another heavy white chunk flew into the forest with a thud.

"No!" Ivy cried out, her defence weakened for a second and Victoria almost got in for a second before she righted herself.

Victoria began weaving through the tree trunks at the far end of the little opening now. She was obviously torn, her feet pulling her toward safety while her eyes yearned toward me as if I were a magnet, reeling her in. I could see burning desire to kill warring with her survival instinct.

Ivy could see that, too.

"Don't go, Vicky" she murmured in the same hypnotic tone that I had used with Riley. "You'll never get another chance like this."

She showed her teeth and hissed at Ivy, but she seemed unable to move farther away from me.

"You can always run later" Ivy purred. "Don't you want to avenge your mate's death? Don't you want Edward to feel the pain you felt? The pain you felt when James was turned to ash, when he was turned into _nothing_."

With a strangled screech, Victoria darted out of the trees again, feinting to the side. Ivy responded, and the dance began once again.

Riley was closing the distance between them again, driving Seth toward the cliff face beside me. Victoria was suddenly interested in her partner's fate and paused. I could see her, from the corner of her eyes, judge the distance between Riley and me. Seth snapped at Riley, forcing him back again, and Victoria hissed.

Suddenly, Victoria flew out of the blurred formation and smashed into a tall spruce about halfway up the tree. She dropped back to earth already crouched to spring.

But Ivy was too fast. Way, way too fast. Before I could even blink, Ivy had Victoria in a head lock and pulled it off. Victoria let out a screech of pain as Ivy dismantled her and set her alight. The she jumped between Riley, who was now missing an arm but looking fine, and Seth, he looked perfectly fine as well.

"Please, stop" Ivy whispered, pleading with her eyes. "He didn't know, please stop."

Seth froze for a second, and then nodded his great wolf head slowly and warily.

"Thank you" she whispered and rushed over to Riley who was now on the ground. She grabbed all the pieces of him and began her work fixing him.

It was all too much. My mind refused to make sense of anything that was being said, pretended it couldn't understand.

I watched as Seth helped Ivy, in human form, put Riley back together.

And then I slipped off the edge I was clinging to inside my head.

Everything went black.

**AN: Sorry about Ivy. When I read the book I didn't like the fact that Riley had to die for Victoria's lies. But don't worry, she won't be staying for long.**

**Thank you to:**

**Readstar, Mizzymarri, v-girl98, EmCullenIsMyTeddyBear, sqrll15, Leah1398,EnvysMistress,VMReiche,BritWhitlock232, Midnitekiss13, Narnia365, kAsS3695, LovelyHJ, Krajengirl and kayleighNicole12 for putting my story on your story alert**

**Thank you to:**

**Readstar, Mizzymarri, V-girl98, Jeancobo, Caggie, EnvysMistress, VMReiche, BritWhitlock232, Midnitekiss13, NadineWhitlock and KayleighNicole12 for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**And for all of you who reviewed:**

**Chianne: Will do**

**Mizzymarri: Check your messages: D**

**V-girl98: Thanks**

**EmCullenIsMyTeddyBear: LOL! That would be funny. I recon I'll recon I'll write a very pissed off Paul: D**

**Leah1398: Thanks for you enthusiasm for my story. It really means a lot to me: D**

**VMReiche: I'm glad you like it: D**

**Twimore: I have more for you. Check your messages every now and then and I'll send you ones I really like.**

**Tabby1216: Thanks**

**Tigger5600: What? Seth and Bella together? Cuz that won't happen at all. It's just a brother and sister connection. I'll tell you that much.**

**TeamWolfPack96: Thanks, and I'll try**

**Brittyangel: Thanks and I hope you liked the fight.**

**Kathy Hiester: Thank you**

**Ggghhhaaarrr: I'm glad you're still with me; D**

**Sassygirl191: On its way**

**Edger2deadly: Thanks for your support**

**Mmrzz01: I guess I just answered your questions in this chapter**

**Greywolflove: I'll try**

**AliceCarlisleFan: Eclipse would be eclipse without her.**

**Baby mama in training: I think imprinting is too strong for Bella to love Jake so I put them really close, but not romantically.**

**MigratingCoconuts06: LOL**

**Story lover: I know: D**

**Kathyxxxxxx: Thanks**

**~Poison Ivey**


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

I was first aware of the cool hands touching me. More than one pair of hands. Arms holding me, a palm curved to fit my cheek, fingers stroking my forehead, and more fingers pressed lightly into my wrist.

Then I was aware of voices. They were just a humming at first, and then they grew in volume and clarity like someone was turning up a radio.

"Please, Sam, it's been five minutes." Paul's voice was frantic, the type of voice he only had used once when I was in a coma.

"She'll come around when she's ready, Paul." Emily's voice was soothing and calm. I was glad. Someone had to calm down Paul if I couldn't. "She's had too much to deal with today. Let her mind protect itself."

But my mind was not protected. It was trapped in the knowledge that had not left me, even in unconsciousness. Victoria was dead. I was free. I just couldn't deal with that. It just didn't make any sense to me.

"Bella, honey?" This was Kim's soft, comforting voice. "Can you hear me? You're safe now."

Yes, I was safe, but what about everyone else? Did anyone else get hurt?

Then warm lips were at my ear, and Paul was speaking the words that allowed me to escape from the torture that had me caged inside my own head.

"We're all okay, Bells. Everyone is perfectly safe and well. You can open your eyes now."

As the worry and dread eased, I found my way back to my body. My eyelids fluttered.

"Oh, thank the lord" Paul gasped, hugging me tight to him as if scared I was going to disappear, and I hugged him back just as tight.

"Paul" I whispered.

"Yeah, I'm here."

I took a deep breath, willing myself to calm down, and opened my eyes, staring into warm brown. A smile broke across my features which my wolf returned and I knew everything was going to be alright.

"Who are you?" I asked, suddenly, noticing two vampires standing next to Emily, who was looking slightly uncomfortable at how close they were to her.

"I'm Charlotte" said the women "and this is Peter. We're friends of..."

"Jasper's" I cut her off, surprised that this didn't cause me any pain. "I know."

"He told you about us" Peter grinned, obviously pleased by this fact.

"Yes."

"He sent us here" Charlotte explained. "He'd heard that a vampire army was coming here for you, but wasn't able to interfere. His brother, Edward, has forbidden any member of his family to come see you."

"So Jasper still cares" I murmured.

"They all do" Peter said. "Edward only left to protect you. Of course, he's pretty beaten up about it."

I hesitated, and then said "Can you tell him that I'm happy now? And to move on. And tell the others that I forgive them?"

"Of course" Charlotte smiled. Then looked surprised when I hugged her and Peter tightly.

"Thank you so much!"

And, after they said their goodbyes, they were gone.

I turned around and found myself assaulted by Paul's lips on mine. I laughed against his lips.

Suddenly, Kim screamed and we all spun around to look at her, and then followed her gaze.

There stood a newborn that they had obviously missed. He had his eyes locked on me as he pounced.

Paul didn't even have a chance to phase as he rushed to protect me. He threw himself at the vampire still fully human and cried out in pain at the impact.

"Paul!" I cried.

I barely noticed the others phasing and killing the fucking newborn as I ran to his side.

"Bells" he breathed, his beautiful face contorted with pain.

"Please, Paul, stay with me!" I sobbed.

Sam phased back and checked his injuries, his face scared. The almighty Alpha was _scared_!

"Most of the bones on the right side of his body are broken" he whispered, trying to sound calm. It didn't work on me. "We ahve to get him back to Billy's."

I just nodded and Jared walked over and picked Paul up, trying to prevent any unnecessary pain as possible.

"Don't leave me, Bells" Paul pleaded.

"I promise" I tried to sooth him, taking undamaged hand.

We all got into separate cars. I got in with Embry, Sam and Emily as Sam drove us to Billy's with everyone else driving behind. I had Paul's head resting on my lap as I stroked his head. He was sleeping, but I kept getting images of him like this...dead.

I shook my head, trying to get rid of the image once again. I didn't even want to even _begin _to think what my life would be without Paul. It hurt too much.

"It's going to be okay, Bella" Embry tried to sooth me, holding my free hand.

"Sure" I said, my voice cracking.

"It will be, Bella" Emily said. "You just have to believe it, or you won't be getting anywhere."

"I'll try" I replied, and tried to smile. It was a weak one, but a smile all the same.

I looked out of the window and saw the most beautiful sunset I had ever seen. I sighed and looked back down at Paul's sleeping face. Even though he was in obvious agony, he still looked handsomely beautiful as ever, and no fucking vampire was going to change that.

**AN: I really did not know what to put in this chapter so I just wrote stuff, read it over and then thought 'fuck it' and posted it. Sorry if I didn't make my usual standards.**

**Thank you to:**

**Twilightrulz101, BreithePixieCupcake, Lizziebug, SecretEmpath, Katie E. Black, LoverofLit, blood wolfe92, Remmy Black and bookinspied for putting my story on your story alert**

**Thank you to:**

**Csmdkmka, Twilight Wolfie-Paul's girl, Crazyy-Gurl-Rock, BellaMia1286, Nothingkjazzzy, KELL286, Peaches-And-Skittlez, Remmy Black, Kailinasmiths, Pizzahut, Jadeee1234 and BooBoo33 for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**Tabby1216: Thanks**

**Twilight Wolfie- Paul's Girl: Thank you so much! I really appreciate that :)**

**Randoms1: No. Sorry. People didn't want the Cullens in this story so I didn't put them in.**

**Your-one-and-only: I'm gonna so another story on Paul's point of view.**

**TeamWolfPack96: D**

**Twimore: You're welcome**

**Edger2deadly: Sorry about the wait**

**Seza3175: I'm glad**

**Feebes86: Oh, he will in the next chapter if he knows what's good for him. I do hope he knows that I'm in control of 'Poisoned Love' and could kill him at a flick of a switch: D**

**Blood wolfe92: People didn't want the Cullens in this story so I didn't put them in.**

**AliceCarlisleFan: No because Eddie didn't go to Italy so the Volturi don't know Bella knows about vampires.**

**MigratingCoconuts06: This chapter lol**

**Baby mama in training: I'm putting Ivy and Riley together. Sorry.**

**Mizzymarri: try now**

**Kathy Hiester: I'm glad: D**

**GracefulWolvesInTheNight: I'm glad you agree**

**VMReiche: Yeah, I didn't like how people were able to boss Bella about and how she didn't stick up for herself**

**Brittyangel: Thanks.**

**Tigger5600: Oh, I see :)**

**Sassy girl: Sure**

**BooBoo22: D**

**~Poison Ivy**


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

We placed him in the spare room of Billy's house and Sue set to work on fixing him- she's a nurse at the local hospital and knew the basic stuff.

"Oh dear" she murmured to herself as she examined Paul after giving him some strong pain reliever.

"What" I asked frantically, my head snapping up and Paul took my hand.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to re-break some of your bones, Paul" Sue said apologetically.

Paul's eyes widened and said quickly "No thanks, I like them just fine like this."

"I'm sorry, Paul, but I have to."

"Don't worry babe, I'm here" I tried to sooth him, stroking his hair and he relaxed slightly under my touch, squeezing his eyes tight shut.

It hurt like hell, for both me and him. I guess the imprinting bond made us feel what the other one was feeling, even if they were trying to hide it. I understood what Emily meant about not being able to lie to each other.

"I'm sorry" Paul whispered as I lay next to him on his good side with his unharmed arm around my waist, pulling me close to him.

"What the devil for?" I was shocked. What the hell was he apologising for? I looked at his face carefully and saw the self blame in them.

"For hurting you."

"How?"

"You know how."

I sighed. "Paul, you can't _choose _who you imprint on and you can't control what happens to the imprint when the bond is holding strong, so stop blaming yourself."

He just rolled his eyes, obviously too tired to do anything more than that.

"Sleep, baby" I soothed him and he immediately fell asleep.

I lay there for hours just listening to his breathing and heart beat. It was reassuring to know he was still alive. I know, sounds crazy, huh? Come on, I know you think I'm nuts.

Suddenly, there was a soft knock on the door making me jump slightly. I flickered my gaze to Paul to check he was still sleeping before whispering "Come in."

Emily's smiling face pocked around the door and whispered too, seeing that Paul was asleep. "Do you want something to eat?"

I smiled and started to get up, but then Paul made a whimpering noise and his hand unconsciously began to search for me. It was so damn cute and I was beginning to realise just how vulnerable he was without me at his side. I made a silent vow never to leave his side ever, ever again. I snuggled back against him and gave Emily an apologetic look.

"I'll eat later" I promised and Emily gave me a knowing look before closing the door again.

I sighed softly and willed myself to sleep. A couple of minutes later, I was successful.

I wasn't sure what the time was when I woke up, but I was pretty sure it was past midnight judging by the lack of light outside the window.

"Morning, babe" Paul murmured, kissing my forehead.

"What's the time?" I asked my mind still foggy with sleep.

"Two in the morning" he answered, jerking his head towards the digital alarm clock on the bed-side-table.

"Oh, joy" I said sarcastically. "How are you feeling?"

He grimaced and said "I've had better days. What's this I hear from Emily about you missing lunch _and _dinner just to stay with me?"

I groaned. "Don't start that. I couldn't to leave you. You just look too helpless and vulnerable without me."

I pouted. This time it was his turn to groan. "Bells, babe, you gotta stop doing that!"

"And why is that?" I smirked, though I knew exactly why. I pressed my leg softly against the slight bulge in his pants and my smirk grew when I felt it harden.

"Bella" Paul groaned, trying to kiss me, but I withdrew.

"No" I said firmly, ignoring his pout. "One, because you're still healing, two, because we're inside someone else's house and, three, you just told me off for pouting so why the hell are you doing it now?"

Paul just laughed at me. "Sleep now, babe. I'll be perfectly healed in the morning, and then we can have some fun."

I blushed a deep red but still managed to fall asleep quicker than lightening, feeling the warmth of my wolf against me.

And, just for one moment, I could sense the wolf inside him, howling in happiness at having its imprint at his side.

**AN: Sorry it's short but I didn't know what else to put and sorry it's so late. It's a hectic life that I live, but I always try to look on the bright side of things. So...love it? Hate it? Tell me what you think in your reviews!**

**Thank you to:**

**Mrslisablack, , Tenshi Kudaino, Daddys little crazy bitch, Fairylight, Datbz, TwiHordAlice, MerazWolfGurl13, xjacobgirlx17, Katrinanicole1986, Red Plaid Chucks, recordo55 and bookworm2009 for putting my story on your story alert**

**Thank you to:**

**Katrinanicole1985, , Ataea, vampiregirl1821, Daddys little crazy bitch, Red-Rose459, fairlight, Darbz, Bittersweet592, Byuuchan, KidnapMyHeart, EndangeredSpecies and greasergirl10003 for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**Reviews:**

**Daddys little crazy bitch: I love your name! I couldn't let Riley die because Vicky lied to him. That just seemed so wrong to me.**

**Kathyxxxxxx: I KNOW!Xxx**

**Fairylight: I'm glad you've read them all. It makes me : D**

**Darbz: Thanks and I'll try**

**MerazWolfgurl13: I'm glad**

**Edger2deadly: Thanks: D**

**Twilets: Of course he has to be okay. No one will hurt Bella's baby with her around; D**

**Moonlit Lake Nightmare: The Cullens don't appear in my story because people didn't want them to come and I agree. Paul is just tooooooooooooo hot to die. I'm dazzled by his hotness *0*... and so is Bella...he, he, he**

**Feebes86: Gosh! You trust me that much not to kill him? I'm honoured; D and I needed a reason for them not to come so...yeah...just go with it**

**Mizzymarri: Oh, I give up on pm. Yes, you can be an imprint. Please can I have hair description, eye description, height description, name and your wolf? Thanks you**

**Baby mama in training: Yes, they will always have each other if I have anything to say about it; D**

**MigratingCoconuts06: Well, someone had to and survive just like the books.**

**~Poison Ivy**


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Once I was a hundred percent sure that Paul was fit and healthy to come home- that would have been forever if Paul hadn't started begging me (damn those puppy dog eyes)- I was barely through the door when Paul's mouth was attacking mine.

"God, I need you so much" Paul groaned into my mouth. I laughed.

"Well, we are most certainly _not _doing it down here" I joked.

"Yes ma'am" Paul said, knocking his arm into the back of my knee but catching me before I fell.

"Don't be an arse" I mumbled against his chest and he moaned.

"God, you're so hot when you talk like that" he gasped, throwing me onto my bed. I sent a mental thanks to God, thanking him that Charlie was due back for another three hours.

"It turns you on when I insult you?" I asked breathlessly as he kissed and licked my collarbone.

"More than you could ever know" he murmured, sending shivers down my spine.

I flipped us over and growled "You, mister, have too many clothes on."

Paul chuckled underneath me.

"What are you going to do about it?" he teased me, nipping at my neck and I moaned loudly at the glorious feeling that flooded to me.

"This" I said cheekily, while secretly wondering where the hell my new-found confidence had come from, and chained his hands to my bed with Charlie's handcuffs. His eyes widened in shock.

"What...?" he gasped and I laughed.

"I wanna play" I whined playfully, pouting slightly. He groaned.

"You carry on pouting like that and I'll have my way with you faster than you can blink" he growled.

"Well, you would, if you could. But you're at my mercy" I whispered in his ear.

Slowly, I sat up slightly so he would have full view and, even slower, I lifted my top up inch, by inch, by inch. Paul's eyes grew wide, his eyes locked on me like a magnet.

"You like what you see?" I gasped, slipping a finger under my bra and pinching my nipple, just like Paul would do. He could only nod dumbly.

Slowly, my other hand began to descend to my lower lips and moaned Paul's name.

"God Jesus, Bells, you're killing me" Paul gasped out, panting heavily.

"Well, that's kinda the whole point" I said, inserting another finger, and then another. "Oh God!"

Paul whimpered but helped me through my orgasm by saying huskily "That's it, baby, come for me."

I came with a scream of his name and it too k me a couple of minutes to get my strength back.

"Please get me out of these fucking handcuffs!" Paul almost shouted making me laugh breathlessly.

I quickly uncuffed him and he flipped me over. And we continued our make-out session.

_~Two weeks later~_

'Oh for the love of God and all things that are holly, that is not what I think it is' I thought as I stared at the positive pregnancy test in front of me in the bathroom sink.

I grabbed my mobile and immediately called Emily.

"Hey Bells, what's up?" Emily asked in her usual cheerful voice.

"Hey Em, um...are the guys there?" I said nervously, walking into the kitchen to the fridge and opening a jar of pickles.

"Yeah, why?"

"Urm, can you step outside. I wanna talk to you and I don't wanna talk to you with the guy's eves dropping in on our conversation."

I heard shuffling movement and then Emily said "Okay, what's up."

I took a deep shaky breath and muttered "I'm pregnant."

"Oh my gosh, Bella, that brilliant news" Emily all but screamed. "Right, you get your arse here right now or so help I will..."

"All right, all right, I'm coming" I said quickly. Believe me; you don't want to get on the wrong side of Emily's cursing.

I hung up and drove there quickly (slowly) because I just couldn't wait to tell them the news (please note the sarcasm) because they will act all maturely (NOT!).

When I got there, Emily ushered me into the kitchen where everyone was waiting patiently, and looking very confused.

"Bella has some news" Emily said, beaming ear to ear...err...well...you know what I mean.

"Emily, once I'm done, I'm gonna kill you" I muttered, hiding my face behind my hands before mumbling "I'm pregnant."

There was a stunned silence, and then Kim and Leah launched themselves as me, laughing and congratulating me. Then the guys were on me and joking about how their little girl had finally grown up.

"Oh hush" I rolled my eyes at Embry who was whipping a fake tear from his eye.

_~One month later~_

"Is this really necessary? I'm gonna look plain next to him no matter what you girls manage to cook up" I sighed as I sat on Emily's chair in her bedroom. She, Leah and Kim were looking at me, judging on what they were going to do with me.

Today was the day I, Isabella Marry Swan, got married to Paul Long and became Isabella Marry Long. I was so nervous I swear I would die of it.

"No one will dare to call you plain when we're through with you" Leah said in a business-like voice that matched all of the girls' expressions.

"Only because they're afraid you'll turn into a big-arsed dog and rip them into fucking pieces" I muttered. I leaned back in the chair and closed my eyes, hoping I'll be able to nap through my torture. I hadn't had the best nights of my life. I was so nervous I kept tossing and turning for hours on end. And, of course, the girls had assured me in the morning that I looked crap because of it. Aren't they a cheerful lot?

I did drift in and out a little bit while they masked, buffed and polished ever surface of my body.

It was after lunchtime when Embry's voice came through the door. "We're back."

"Stay out of here!" Kim shouted, glowering at the door.

"No problem" I heard Jared mutter. "We like to keep the fur on our bodies."

I laughed mentally at Kim's threat of getting a knife and cutting the fur of any werewolf who came into the room. It was so funny watching the guys almost pee their pants under the glare of her.

"Come on" Emily said as we heard the boys' footsteps walk away "let's do her hair."

"Okay" said Leah. "Kim, you can start braiding. I want it intricate. The veil goes here, underneath." Her hands started combing through my hair, hefting it, twisting it, and illustrating in detail what she wanted. "Emily, can you go through the clips and pick out three."

When she was done giving instructions, I heard Emily rummaging around and felt Kim's hands replace hers, shaping my hair with feather-light touch. Leah moved back to my face.

Once Emily had done Leah's commendation on picking out my hair-clips, she was sent off to retrieve my dress and then to locate Jake, who had been dispatched to pick up my mother and her husband, Phil, from their hotel. Downstairs, I could faintly hear the door opening and closing over and over again. Voices began to float up to us.

Leah made me stand so she, Emily and Kim could ease the dress over my hair and makeup. My knees shook so badly as they fastened the long line of pearl buttons up my back that the satin quivered in little wavelets down to the floor.

"Deep breaths, Bella" Kim murmured soothingly and I did as I was told.

"We have to get dressed now" Leah said. "Can you hold yourself together for ten minutes?"

"Uh...I can try?"

They laughed, rolling their eyes as they did so, and darted out the door together. Glad they find this shit funny, because I failed to.

I counted on my breathing, counting each movement of my lungs, and stared at the patterns that the light made on the shiny fabric of my skirt. I was afraid to looking in the mirror- afraid the image of myself in the wedding dress would send me over the edge into a full-scale panic attack.

Kim, Emily and Leah were back just before I had taken nine hundred breaths, in dresses that made them look like they'd just stepped outside of a supermodel magazine. They were breath-taking.

"Wow!"

"Their nothing" Leah said. "No one will be looking at us today. Not while you're in the room."

"Har, har."

"Now, are you in control of yourself?" Kim asked.

"Yes, but are they back? Is my mum here?" The pack had to do a quick patrol to make sure there weren't any vampires nearby before my wedding. Heaven forbid any vampires who dare disrupt my wedding.

"Yeh, they're here, and so is your mum. She just walked in the door and is on her way up" Leah said.

Renee had flown in two days ago, and I'd spent every minute I could with her- every minute that I could pry her away from Sue and the decorations, in other words. As far as I could tell, she was having more fun with this than a kid locked inside Disneyland overnight. In a way, I felt almost as cheated as Charlie. All that wasted terror over her reaction...

"Oh. Bella!" she squealed now, gushing before she was all the way through the door. "Oh, honey, you are so beautiful! Oh, I'm gonna cry! You two are amazing! You girls and Sue should go into business as wedding planners. Where did you find this dress? It's gorgeous! So graceful, so elegant. Bella, you look like you just stepped out of an Austen movie." My mother's voice sounded a little distance away, and everything in the room as slightly blurry. "Such a creative idea, designing the theme around the legends."

The four of us exchanged conspiratorial look. My mum was off on the dress style more than a hundred years. The wedding wasn't actually centred on the legends, but Paul himself. It was a traditional thing in the pack for as long as anyone can remember. In fact, it's been so long that no one actually knows who started the tradition off.

There was a loud, gruff throat-clearing in the doorway.

"Renee, Sue said it's time you got settled down their" Charlie said.

"Well, Charlie, don't you look dashing!" Renee said in a tone that was almost shocked. That might have explained the crustiness of Charlie's answer.

"Sue caught me."

"Is it really time already?" Renee said to herself, sounding almost as nervous as I felt. "This has all gone so fast. I feel dizzy."

That made two of us.

My mother wheeled for the door, only to complete the spin and face me again.

"Oh goodness, I almost forgot! Charlie, where's the box?"

My dad rummaged in his pockets for a minute and then produced a small, white box, which he handed to Renee. Renee lifted the lid and held it out to me.

"Something blue" she said.

"Something Quilteuten, or vaguely similar" Charlie added. "Did you know you were part Quilteute? Your Grandma Swan's mother was Quilteuten. This was hers on her wedding day, and has been passed down. We had a jeweller replace the paste stones with sapphires."

Inside the box were two heavy silver hair combs. Dark blue sapphires were blustered into intricate floral shapes atop the teeth.

"Mum, dad...you shouldn't have."

"We weren't allowed to do anything else" Renee said. "Every time we tried, it was all but ripped out of our grasp like hungry wolves."

A hysterical giggle burst through my lips.

"Perfect" the girls grinned together as Emily slid both combs into my hair under the edge of the thick braids.

"A little colour- that's all you needed" Leah mused. "You are officially done. "Renee, you need to get downstairs."

"Yes ma'am." Renee blew me a kiss and hurried out the door.

"Charlie, would you grab the flowers, please" Emily asked sweetly and he nodded, leaving the room, returning with the two frothy white bouquets. The scent of roses and orange blossom and freesia enveloped me in a soft mist.

I heard the music playing downstairs and began hyperventilating, but took a deep breath, willing myself into composure. The music was familiar, Wagner's traditional march surrounded by a flood of embellishments.

"It's our turn" Emily chimed. "Count to five and follow us." They began a slow, graceful dance down the staircase. I should have realized that having those three as my bridesmaids was a mistake. I would look that much more uncoordinated coming behind them.

A sudden fanfare trilled through the soaring music. I recognized my cue instantly.

As soon as my feet were past the treacherous stairs, I was looking for him. For a brief second, I was distracted by the profusion of white blossoms that hung in garlands from everything in the room that wasn't alive, dripping with long lines of white gossamer ribbons. But I tore my eyes from the bowery canopy and searched until I found him at last, standing before an arch overflowing with more flowers, more gossamer.

I was barely conscious that Sam stood by his side, and Angela's father behind them both. I didn't see my mother where she must have been sitting in the front row, or my new family, or any of the guests- they would have to wait till later.

All I really saw was my Paul's face; it filled my vision and overwhelmed my mind. His eyes were chocolate brown; his perfect face was filled with such love and pride. And then, as he met my awed gaze, he broke into a breathtaking smile of exultation.

Suddenly, it was only the pressure of Charlie's hand on mine that kept me from sprinting headlong down the aisle.

The march was too slow as I struggled to pace my steps to its rhythm. Mercifully, the aisle was very short. And then, at last, I was there. Paul held out his hand. Charlie took my hand and, in a symbol as old as the world, placed it in Paul's, and I knew instantly that I was home.

In that moment, as the minister said his part, my world, which had been upside down for so long now, seemed to settle into its proper position. I looked into Paul's triumphant eyes and knew that I was winning, too. Because nothing else mattered but that I could stay with him, that he was mine to keep forever.

I guess if I had been in another position that I would have been crying, but I was a wolf girl now, and I was stronger.

"I do" I vowed when it was my time to say the binding words, beaming like there was no tomorrow.

When it was his turn to speak, the words rang clear and victorious.

"I do" he vowed.

Mr Weber declared us husband and wife, and then Paul took my face in his hands and kissed me tenderly, adoringly while I placed my hand on the small bump on my stomach of my little Paul.

The crowd erupted into applause, and we turned our bodies to face our friends and family.

**AN: One more chapter to go and I've finished the story! :D I can't even begin to tell you have happy I am to have almost finished this book.**

**Thank you to:**

**Independantcinderlla, Easypeasy, MegPearl, samanthalynn2388, Feelo Ivashkov, , Hannah Salvatore-sister, emmettsmybigteddybear, TeamCarlisleWhitlock, oddrose, Obsessed-with-reading, JordieGirl13, HermioneCullen, Dottyxox, AthenaRowena, Kittathampster, Ye-Olde-Queen-O'-Darkness, millymollymanda, Iofafa, Delilah69, Traceybvie, Ari-chan07, 143iloveyou143, Keyda87, iloveedwardcullenthevampire, Jennylabob, Speedyraider and STICKYNIKKIO117 for putting my story on your story alert**

**Thank you to:**

**Easypeasy, Feelo Ivashkov, RoSaBbAdAsSgUaRdAiNs, PrincessAnastasiaBelilcov, Angel4EverLostInLife, TeamCarlisleWhitlock, The-Black-And-Whote-Cat11, oddrose, obsessed-with-reading, JordieGirl13, HermioneCullen, Dottyxox, DarkShadow722, Haley62, millymollymanda, lofafa, dijah15, Traceybvie, Hunniebee23, 143iloveyou143, keydo87, Nettie13, Gundamseeddestiny, VampireChik97, SWEETVAMPLOVER101, kwhitewolf26 and erh713 for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**Reviews:**

**Daddys little crazy bitch: DDDDDDDDDD**

**Seza3175: Awwww, that you**

**Oddrose: Thanks: D. I also love reading Paul/Bella stories and am amazed to see how many different personalities Bella's been given. It's funny!**

**Millymollymanda: I'll try :)**

**Deliah69: So do I. I mean, it'll be hardly fair if Bella get's her happy ending but he doesn't. Maybe someone should hook him up with someone like Tanya or someone different...**

**MigratingCoconuts: Thanks =)**

**143iloveyou143: I will**

**Baby mama in training: Ahh, congratulations! Do let me know what you call them!**

**Mizzymarri: I'm really sorry, but I put Leah and Jacob together. You can see that further back in the story. Is there someone else that you'd like to be with?**

**Sassygirl97: On its way**

**Britty: same!**

**VMReiche: Lol**

**Kathy Hiester: don't all the girls *0* ha, ha, ha**

**GracefulWolvesInTheNight: That'll be the imprint bond :)**

**Speedyraider: I'm glad**

**Kathyxxxxxx: they do make a cute couple**

**~Poisson Ivy**


	26. Epilogue

Epilogue

If you had told me five years ago that Edward Cullen would have left me, I would have just laughed at you and said that would never happen. Of course, I was young and naive then, so I guess I owe you an apology if I did do that.

Then again, if you had told me straight after that I would end up marrying Paul Long, one of La Push's hot-headed players then I would have punched right in the place it hurts the most and wouldn't have apologies for that at all.

But now that I've grown up a little I can see how dull mine and Edward's relationship was and how there was really no love. I realise now that I went out with him because I was flattered at actually being asked out. I'd never been asked out before, you see.

I was Isabella Marie Swan back then, but now my name is Isabella Marie Long, and I couldn't be happier.

"Mum!" I heard my youngest daughter, Kristen; scream from downstairs, pulling me out of my thoughts as I pulled my hairbrush through my now very long brunet hair. "Alex isn't playing fair again!"

I came downstairs with her and placed a hand on my hip, giving Alex- my oldest son- my best mother stare.

"Alex, what have I told you about using your werewolf strength when playing with your brothers and sister?"

"But..." Alex began but I cut him off.

"Goats but, horse's nay and boys like you do as they're told. Now, play nicely or I'll get your Alpha to give you extra patrolling to do."

I glowered at him for a couple of minutes and he gazed at the floor with a mumble "Sorry, mother."

I laughed.

"Mum, when will we be as strong as Alex?" my two other sons, Robert and Tyler, whined together. Being twins, they knew exactly what the other was going to say before they actually said it and so got very annoying sometimes when they came up with one of their evil plans that always ended with someone in tears, which was mainly Kristen.

"When you phase, just like your father said" I said calmly and, just then, Paul came through the door, beaming like the cat that just got the cream. "Oh god, speak of the devil and the devil shall appear."

"Hey" Paul exclaimed, pouting "I resent that!"

"Love you to, honey" I laughed, kissing him quickly before starting lunch. "How was patrolling?"

"Horrible, as usual" Paul grumbled.

"Oh, for goodness sake, it can't be that bad!" I said.

"It is when you have Quil in your head going on and on about Claire!"

Claire was Quil's imprint. What scared us the most, though, was the fact that she was only two years old. It creep the hell out of us all, but I didn't care. Once you get over the shock you realise that they're quite cute together. Claire has Quil wrapped around her little finger.

"Aww, poor Pauly" I cooed, ruffling his hair playfully before placing his food in front of him and the kids.

Suddenly, Seth came in panting and looking very excited.

"Guess what!" he grinned and I sighed.

"What?"

"I imprinted!" That changed my attitude instantly.

"Oh my gosh! When can I meet her?" I squealed.

"Well...urm...you can meet her now" Seth muttered, blushing and gesturing at a gorgeous girl standing behind him.

She had naturally dark brown hair with light brown highlights in that stopped right below her chest and her skin had a bit of a tan. She had curves in all the right places and only came half way up Seth's shoulder. All in all she was beautiful.

"Hey" she said cheerfully "my names Marii. You must be the famous Bella that I was told I had to meet."

"I sure am" I laughed holding out my hand which she shook. Then I rounded on Seth and said "Right, Seth, you listen to me. I like this girl so if you hurt her, so help me you'll wish you were never born!"

Seth shrank back a bit and mumbled something before turning around and running out side, using the glass door as a shield from me.

I and Marii burst out laughing at his expression.

"See you later" Marii grinned before dragging Seth off towards the woods.

"Bye" I called and then I stood, lent against the counter eating my food while watching my family play together, laughing, and smiled. This is my life, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

**MUST READ-**

**AN: Well that's it, the last chapter. Right, I'm writing this story again but in Paul's point of view for those who want to read it. And then I'm gonna do a sequel to this story. Also I was wondering whether anyone had any request that they wanted me to write. I've loved writing this and hope you've enjoyed reading it. I suggest you put me on your Author alerts so you know when the story is being put up but I'll also let you know in this story as well. Thank you so much for all your support and I love you all!**

**Thank you to:**

**Katie E. Black, Bratalia, TwinVamps, Smile-like-nothings-wrong and WEAR-WOLF-I-LOVE-WOLVES for putting my story on your story alert**

**Thank you to:**

**Bratalia, TwinVamps, EroticDarkAngel, WEAR-WOLVES-I-LOVE-WOLVES, Raylene79, genieva cerda, 123youdon'tknowme and Mavri Night for putting my story on your favourite story list**

**Reviewers:**

**Seza3175: I'm glad.**

**Bratalia: I can't wait to put it up **

**Easypeasy: I'll try and get the next story up as quickly as possible**

**Edger2deadly: I know; I can't believe I finished! It seems like it was only yesterday that I started writing it. Jeez, that sounds like something out of a movie: S**

**Mizzymarii: I hope this was okay for you. I had Quil imprint of Claire so I put you with Seth.**

**WEAR-WOLVES-I-LOVE-WOLVES: Great **

**Baby mama in training: Awwww. Only 17 weeks? Jeez, you'll have to let me know how you get on **** I know. I've become so attach to this story it's so hard to end it but I have no choice. I can't keep up the same story for too long because it can get boring after awhile.**

**Starriver92: No, because this is the end of the story.**

**Unknown: Good, good **

**Traceybuie: Thanks**

**Sassygirl191: I'm love your dedication to this story: D**

**MigratingCoconuts06: Maybe it's a sign...**

**Kathy Hiester: Thank you **

**Leah1398: I know, I'm gonna miss writing this one, but at least I'm carrying it on.**

**Delilah69: So am I! But I'm gonna leave that one to your imagination ha, ha lol**

**~Poison Ivy**


	27. New Story Alert

**What's up peeps?**

**I'm just letting you know that my new story is up. It's basically 'Poisoned Love' in Paul's point of view for those who want to read it. Please do, it will mean the world to me. It's called 'The other side of the same coin'.**

**Also, once I've finished writing this story, I'm going to write a sequel to 'Poisoned Love' about Paul and Bella's life afterwards. Yes, their adventure doesn't stop there.**

**Signed**

_Poisoned Love_


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